Doug Brent, Picture From ICANN's website

As just announced on the ICANN blog, ICANN COO Doug Brent will be stepping down from his job at the end of July 2010. He has been with ICANN the beginning of 2007. The non profit has started the recruiting process for a successor.

He explains his decision as follows:

While my engagement in the work of ICANN has made this a difficult decision, the reasons I am leaving are simple. I accepted my role with ICANN in December 2006 with the expectation that I’d commute the 300 miles to Los Angeles four days a week. I did that for twenty months, after which I chose to relocate to Los Angeles – both to do a better job for ICANN, and to see my wife of 27 years every once and a while :-) . After relocating for what will be more than two years, and much family discussion, we’ve determined that our life is not in Los Angeles.