She led the site through its biggest growth period but now plans to fight for the open web

Mar 28, 2013 14:54 GMT  ·  By

It is hard to imagine a web and a world where there is no Wikipedia. But the site is just a decade old and, even a few years ago, there were plenty of people doubting it. There are people doubting it today, but it is harder to deny its impact and its importance.

It's also on solid ground, while there is a worry about the fact that fewer changes and additions are made, the site has matured and the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit behind the site, is bringing in enough donations from users to do whatever it needs.

This is why Wikimedia Foundation's Executive Director, Sue Gardner, believes it's the perfect time to leave. She has headed the foundation for almost six years and believes it is time for something new.

She explains that the internet as we know it is under a bigger threat than ever, from governments and corporations trying to exercise control, and she wants to be in a better place to fight against it than Wikimedia.

"I've always aimed to make the biggest contribution I can to the general public good. Today, this is pulling me towards a new and different role, one very much aligned with Wikimedia values and informed by my experiences here, and with the purpose of amplifying the voices of people advocating for the free and open internet," she explained.

"I don't know exactly what this will look like — I might write a book, or start a non-profit, or work in partnership with something that already exists. Either way, I strongly believe this is what I need to do," she added.

She's not leaving straight away, it may take up to six months to find a successor and she will continue to lead the foundation until that person has been chosen.