Profile
Tobias Sattler
Tobias Sattler is an executive advisor to domain, DNS, hosting, and platform businesses and selectively takes on board and advisory mandates.
He chaired the board of Public Technical Identifiers (the IANA functions operator), served as CTO and executive board member of united-domains AG and as CEO of neubau kompass AG, and publishes peer-reviewed research on the domain name system.
Positions
- Since 2026
- Co-Founder, TLD Support LtdNew Zealand Limited Company
- Since 2026
- Co-Founder, MarkMesh LtdNew Zealand Limited Company
- Since 2026
- Founder and Editor, Domain BriefIndependent Trade Publication
- Since 2021
- Executive AdvisorIndependent Advisory Practice
- 2022-2025
- Chair of the Board and Non-Executive Director, Public Technical Identifiers (IANA functions operator)US Non-Profit Corporation
- 2022-2025
- CEO and Executive Board Member, neubau kompass AGGerman Stock Corporation
- 2020-2021
- CEO and Managing Director, united-domains Reselling GmbHGerman Limited Liability Company
- 2018-2021
- CTO and Executive Board Member, united-domains AGGerman Stock Corporation
- 2013-2018
- CIO, united-domains AGGerman Stock Corporation
Boards and committees
Internet governance, standards, and industry bodies.
Current
- Since 2026
- Member, IEEE
- Since 2025
- Member, IETF RPP Working Group
- Since 2022
- Founder, DNS Science
- Since 2021
- Member, Internet Society (ISOC)
- Since 2021
- Member, EURALO Individuals’ Association
- Since 2017
- Member, IETF REGEXT Working Group
Selected former roles
- 2020-2021
- Delegate, ICANN Nominating Committee
- 2017-2021
- Member, eco Names and Numbers Steering Committee
- 2012-2021
- Voting Member, ICANN Registrar Stakeholder Group (RrSG)
- 2017-2020
- Founder and Co-Chair, ICANN Contracted Party House (CPH) TechOps Group
- 2016-2020
- Vice-Chair and CTO, ICANN Registrar Stakeholder Group (RrSG)
- 2016-2019
- Board Member, NamesCon and CloudFest Content Advisory Board
All former roles (11 more)
- 2021-2024
- Founder and Author, CyberSec
- 2017-2021
- Founder and Editor-in-Chief, MyNext.Events
- 2016-2021
- Founder and Author, Domain Name Basics
- 2018-2019
- Ambassador, Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG)
- 2016-2019
- Founder and Organizer, Domain-Stammtisch Munich
- 2014-2019
- Member, ICANN Thick Whois Consensus Policy Implementation Review Team (IRT)
- 2013-2018
- Member, ICANN WHOIS Accuracy Across Field Validation Working Group
- 2016
- Member, CENTR Registrar Task Force
- 2014-2016
- Member, Mozilla Public Suffix List
- 2013-2016
- Member, ICANN Privacy and Proxy Services Accreditation Issues PDP
- 2014-2015
- Member, ICANN New gTLD Subsequent Rounds Discussion Group
Publications
Journal articles, a book, an IETF standard, and conference presentations.
ORCID 0000-0001-6710-2077Journal articles
Book and standard
Conference presentations
Manuscripts under review (7)
- Documented Authentication Mechanisms of Domain Registrars: Evidence from the Registrars Holding 90% of Registrations in the Largest gTLDs
- Contracts, Registries, and RFCs: Measuring the Public Specification of the Extensible Provisioning Protocol in the gTLD System
- ICANN Contractual Compliance Enforcement, 2008 to 2026: A Census of Formal Notices
- The ICANN-Accredited Registrar Population, 2018-2026: A Longitudinal Measurement Study
- The Uniform Rapid Suspension System: Operational Performance and Structural Access Patterns
- Same Data, New Syntax: Data-Regime Continuity and the Persistence of Privacy Risks from WHOIS to RDAP
- Measuring TLD Specialization in the DNS Namespace: A Cohort-Level Analysis of .ai Adoption Among Y Combinator Startups
Education
- 2022
- Master of Science, University of Applied Sciences BurgenlandMaster’s thesis in German: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers im internationalen Rechtssystem
Executive education
- 2026
- INSEAD, Transforming Your Business with AI
- 2025
- INSEAD, Strategy in the Age of AI and Digital Disruption
- 2023
- INSEAD, Leading Organisations in Disruptive Times
- 2022
- INSEAD, Design Thinking and Creativity for Business
- 2021
- INSEAD, Business Strategy and Financial Performance
- 2021
- Rochester Institute of Technology, MicroMasters Cybersecurity
- 2019
- Zurich International Business School, General Management
- 2019
- Zurich International Business School, Strategic Management and Business Development
- 2019
- Zurich International Business School, Advanced Leadership and Change Management
- 2019
- Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Excellence Program for Managing Directors
- 2018
- Zurich International Business School, Mergers and Acquisitions
Testimonials
“Working with Tobias has been a transformative experience for our business. His deep expertise, strategic mindset, and ability to challenge conventional thinking helped us completely realign our business unit. Through our collaboration, we discovered new perspectives and pathways that set us on a course toward growth and scalability. The exchange was not only insightful but also inspiring. Tobias doesn’t just advise, he catalyzes real change. I would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone looking to rethink, refocus, and elevate their business. We are already looking forward to working with him again on future projects.”
Dirk SchmidtLead Cloud Solutions, STACKIT “I enjoyed working with Tobias when he was previously CTO of united-domains and later advisor to united-domains. I wholeheartedly recommend him for any consulting endeavor. Tobias’s ability to quickly grasp intricate concepts across various disciplines makes him an exceptional advisor. His diverse interests and insatiable curiosity ensure he can provide valuable insights into different subject areas. Whether as CTO or consultant, Tobias brings unwavering dedication and boundless energy to solve even the most complex challenges efficiently. Undoubtedly, his expertise will significantly benefit any organization seeking his consulting services.”
Maximilian BurianekFormer CEO, united-domains “For any organization trying to accomplish something using technology, you generally start with ideas, but then putting those ideas into action gets complicated. For us, Tobias has been an excellent guide in helping us answer all of our questions. He has been our executive team’s technical advisor and helped us implement our technical ideas. Not only is he excellent at ensuring a plan is actionable, but he is also a great communicator that can express and articulate the needs of technical and executive teams in ways that foster alignment and mutual understanding. That is key to the success of any significant project. For this reason and many more, Tobias gets my highest possible recommendation as an executive advisor.”
Christian DawsonExecutive Director, Curationist “As an entrepreneur, you have to make countless decisions, and to make the best ones, you need access to profound insights. As an executive advisor, Tobias has supported me tremendously with his years of experience, in-depth knowledge, and precise analyses. He is an invaluable partner for challenging ideas and offering a fresh perspective. Tobias is a valuable asset to any company looking to improve its business, develop new ideas, and take an unbiased look at its operations.”
Hakan AliCEO, H1.de “Tobias helped me decide whether and how to move forward with one of my projects. When you’re navigating an M&A process, there are many aspects to consider, and Tobias guided me expertly through it. His attention to detail, strategic clarity, and dedication to understanding my business and goals ensured a smooth and efficient outcome. I highly recommend his services to anyone seeking a dedicated and experienced advisor.”
Stefan MeineckeCEO, greenSec Board mandates and advisory requests.
I take on board and advisory roles selectively. A short email is the best start. All inquiries are treated confidentially.