The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ed Parsons, former Geospatial Technologist at Google, as Chair of the OGC Board of Directors, and Prof. Dr. Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse, Vice President & Director, Advisory & Innovation (Geospatial), Woolpert, as Vice Chair.

Parsons succeeds Prashant Shukle, whom OGC thanks for his leadership and service in guiding the Consortium through an important period of transformation.

As Chair, Parsons will guide the Board in shaping OGC’s strategic direction, strengthening its role as a neutral convener, and ensuring that the Consortium continues to drive innovation, trust, and interoperability across the geospatial domain. As Vice Chair, Mohamed-Ghouse will support the Chair and the Board in advancing OGC’s governance, financial sustainability, and global impact.

A recognized global leader in the geospatial domain, Parsons has held transformative roles throughout his career. As Chief Technology Officer at Ordnance Survey, he modernized Britain’s national mapping agency. At Google, he pioneered efforts that brought mapping and geospatial technology to billions of users worldwide, reshaping how people and organizations interact with place and data.

“I’m honored to step into the role of Chair of the Board at such an exciting moment for OGC,” said Parsons. “With AI, trust, and interoperability reshaping how the world uses geospatial data, OGC is uniquely positioned to grow its impact. This is a community that doesn’t just set standards—it creates opportunities, drives innovation, and connects ideas to real solutions. I’m looking forward to building that momentum and helping OGC reach its full potential.”

Prof. Dr. Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse brings decades of international experience in geospatial strategy, innovation, and advisory. He has played key roles in advancing geospatial policies and solutions across government, academia, and industry.

“I deem it a great privilege to serve OGC as Vice Chair of the Board,” said Mohamed-Ghouse. “I look forward to working with our new Chair, Ed Parsons, my fellow Board Directors, and the OGC leadership team to position OGC as a resilient organization—one defined by sustainable finance, strong governance, a member-first approach, and global thought leadership in geospatial.”

Peter Rabley, CEO of OGC, added: “I’m delighted to welcome Ed and Zaffar into their new leadership roles on OGC’s Board. Ed’s unparalleled experience in driving geospatial technology adoption and Zaffar’s deep global expertise in geospatial strategy make them a powerful team to help guide OGC into its next chapter. I’d also like to extend heartfelt thanks to Prashant Shukle for his leadership and commitment to OGC during his tenure as Chair.”

With this leadership transition, OGC looks forward to advancing its mission of delivering trusted standards, driving innovation, and strengthening the global geospatial community.

For more information, please contact:

Christopher Keefe, Chief Marketing Officer, OGC: ckeefe@ogc.org