DRep Disclosure Form

Identity

• Name: Nicolas Cerny
• Affiliations:
  • Governance Lead, Cardano Foundation
  • Intersect Member
    
• Contact Information:
  • Email: cardano.governance@proton.me
  • X Profile
  • LinkedIn Profile

Roles and Responsibilities

• Governance Lead, Cardano Foundation
  Providing strategic direction for governance initiatives at the Foundation.
• Intersect Member
• Active participation in multiple committees and working groups within Intersect:
  • Parameter Committee Member
    • Governance Parameters Working Group
  • Civics Committee Member
    • Governance Support Working Group
    • Constitution Drafting and Ratification Working Group
  • Budget Committee Observer

Competence

1. Knowledge and Skills:
   • In-depth understanding of governance actions, including CIP-1694, protocol parameters, and constants.
   • Proven track record in leading governance initiatives, as evidenced by authoring key reports such as the Voltaire Report and Initial Governance Parameter Settings for Cardano. (See references for details.)
   • Experienced in analyzing governance proposals, evaluating their implications, and applying rigorous technical analysis.
   • Strong stakeholder engagement skills, public speaking abilities, and experience facilitating governance workshops and events.
   • Proficient in creating data-driven insights using SQL, SAS Viya, and other advanced analytics platforms.
   • Developed educational materials, including guides and webinars, to empower and inform the Cardano community.
   • Demonstrated ability to optimize internal governance processes for on-chain readiness.
2. Time Commitment:
   • Minimum of 5 hours per week dedicated to governance reviews, deliberations, and community engagement.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

1. As the Governance Lead at the Cardano Foundation, my professional role closely aligns with my activities as a DRep, which may create perceived overlaps in responsibilities and interests.
2. Participation in committees such as the Civics Committee and Parameter Committee may lead to potential biases when evaluating governance proposals.
3. My involvement in drafting the Cardano Constitution and conducting governance workshops positions me as both a practitioner and advocate, which could influence my decisions.

Mitigation Measures:

• Recusal: I will recuse myself from voting on proposals where a clear and significant conflict of interest is identified.
• Transparent Rationale: For votes where potential conflicts exist, I will provide a detailed rationale and explicitly disclose the nature of the conflict.
• Independent Review: I actively seek feedback and review from independent community members and experts to ensure that my decision-making remains unbiased.
• Abstention: In cases where the conflict is significant and may impair impartiality, I will opt to abstain from voting.

Relationships and Alliances

1. I disclose any financial or professional relationships with entities within the Cardano ecosystem that might influence my voting behavior.
2. My voting policies for governance actions involving such entities will be publicly shared to ensure transparency and avoid potential conflicts of interest.

Voting Process

1. Policy on Abstaining:
   I aim to vote on every governance action by selecting Yes, No, or Abstain. In situations where I cannot make a fully informed decision within the governance action’s timeframe, I will opt to vote Abstain to avoid inadvertently counting as a No vote. This approach ensures that my voting behavior reflects careful deliberation.

2. Policy on Disclosures:
   Every voting decision will be accompanied by a detailed rationale, referencing applicable constitutional principles, expert opinions, and relevant governance policies.

Disclosure Updates

1. Frequency:
   Updates will be provided at least every three months.

2. Pre-Voting Updates:
   Prior to each vote, I will publicly disclose my intended voting decision, allowing delegators ample time to adjust their delegation if necessary.

3. Notification:
   Updates will be communicated via my social channels, including my X profile and DRep Telegram channel.

4. Archival:
   All updates will be archived on my Governance Resource GitHub Repository for accountability and historical reference.

Feedback Mechanism

1. Delegators are encouraged to join my DRep Telegram channel to share insights, feedback, and concerns.
2. A structured process will be established to review feedback—on a regular schedule—and either implement improvements or provide a clear rationale when suggestions are not adopted.

Adherence to Code of Conduct

I commit to upholding the DRep Code of Conduct, with a focus on values such as immutability, resilience, transparency, security, and accountability. Additionally, I will abide by the Community Code of Conduct as defined by the Cardano Foundation, ensuring respectful and harassment-free interactions at all times.

Acknowledgment

I, Nicolas Cerny, affirm that the information provided in this disclosure form is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I commit to maintaining transparency and accountability in my role as a DRep.

Date: 02 February 2025