Mr Schmidt was elected this week as chairman of the New America Foundation’s board of directors. The foundation bills itself as non-alligned politically and says it invests “in outstanding individuals and policy solutions that transcend the conventional political spectrum.”
He takes over the unpaid position from July 1, and is understood to be planning to focus on evolving a “digital think tank” model that will use new technologies to improve the Foundation's reach.
Mr Schmidt’s election follows the arrival last September of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Coll as the president and chief executive of New America, which has a $13.5 million annual budget, 75 staff members and 25 fellows. The group's policy issues also include economic growth, foreign policy and trade, among others.
The think tank has supported using unused and unlicensed television airwaves to transmit high-speed Internet service as well opening up some airwaves in a spectrum auction that would allow consumers use any cell phone or service they want on the resulting network. Google supports both initiatives.
The 17-member board also includes Francis Fukuyama, the noted economics professor with the Johns Hopkins University, Bernard Schwartz, former chairman and chief executive of satellite maker Loral Space & Communications, and Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek.
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