OpenForum Europe is nominating Gaël Blondelle, a long-standing friend of OFE and a Chief Membership Officer at Eclipse Foundation as a candidate to the position of an affiliate director at Open Source Initiative (OSI).
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a non-profit global organisation stewarding the Open Source Definition that sets the foundation for the open source software ecosystem. OSI is advocating for the benefits of open source and builds bridges within the open source community through its wide network of partners and collaborators. OFE is an affiliate member of the organisation, and believes that Gaël joining the Board would greatly support OSI in its activities. Last year, OFE nominated Carlo Piana who was successfully elected as one of the directors for the three-year term.
The OSI board of directors gathers volunteers who are exceptional individuals involved in open source communities. The board oversees the overall work of the organisation, supports its staff and sets strategic goals and direction in line with its mission.
Gaël is a great candidate for this position in OFE’s view as he has been working for many years on broadening the access and reach of open source technologies through his work both within the Eclipse Foundation and outside of it. He has supported several initiatives connecting the decentralised open source ecosystem throughout his 18+ years in the field and always shares his knowledge and passion with great expertise, understanding and pragmatism.
About Gaël Blondelle:
Gaël Blondelle is passionate about open source software and open source ecosystems. He joined the Eclipse Foundation in 2013 and now serves as Chief Membership Officer. He has been involved in the open source arena for more than 18 years in a number of key roles.
Gaël co-founded an open source start-up and worked as its Chief Technology Officer. At that time, Gaël participated in the creation of OW2. Gaël also managed a strategic research IT project aiming to create an open source ecosystem for major industrial players.
Gaël then joined the Eclipse Foundation to pursue his goal of helping more companies work in open source, and to implement open, innovative and collaborative eco-systems for mission-critical applications. Gaël is a known advocate of the benefits of open source and he is a sought-after keynote speaker at global industry events. Originally from Champagne (France), Gaël is a Computer Science graduate of TELECOM Nancy. Now based in Toulouse, he enjoys travelling and hiking with his family in places like Iceland and Canada.