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.

Portrait of Tobias Sattler

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 0000-0001-6710-2077

Journal 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 Under review
  • Contracts, Registries, and RFCs: Measuring the Public Specification of the Extensible Provisioning Protocol in the gTLD System Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy
  • ICANN Contractual Compliance Enforcement, 2008 to 2026: A Census of Formal Notices Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy
  • The ICANN-Accredited Registrar Population, 2018-2026: A Longitudinal Measurement Study SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review
  • The Uniform Rapid Suspension System: Operational Performance and Structural Access Patterns Journal of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Electronic Commerce Law
  • Same Data, New Syntax: Data-Regime Continuity and the Persistence of Privacy Risks from WHOIS to RDAP SCRIPTed
  • Measuring TLD Specialization in the DNS Namespace: A Cohort-Level Analysis of .ai Adoption Among Y Combinator Startups Computer Networks

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.

Email me