In its final regular session of the year on 16 December 2008, the XBRL International Steering Committee approved by unanimous vote Ralf Frank of the DVFA German Society of Investment Professionals and Representative of EFFAS The European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies as the Chairman of the XII Best Practices Board. 

“We are honoured to have an individual with Ralf’s experience and commitment to lead the Best Practices Board of XBRL International. The work of this committee is very important to the community and will provide needed resources to project managers around the globe.” states Anthony Fragnito, XII CEO. 

Mr. Frank is currently the Managing Director of the German Society of Investment Professionals and EFFAS's delegate for XBRL. Since 2002 he has been working in the areas of Accounting Standards, Financial Communication and Reporting and Investor Relations. He not only sits as a member of various committees with accounting standard setters, but is also a member of the Strategy Board of the German XBRL legislation. Ralf is a published author on financial communication and information processing and holds an MA in Communications from Essen University and an MBA from Sheffield Hallam University, UK.

Mr. Frank takes over the position from founding Chairman, Walter Hamscher, who has spent the past year working to develop the Boards work plan, operating policies and deliverables for the Board and its Practice Working Groups. Anthony Fragnito commented that “Once again Walter Hamscher has stepped up to contribute his leadership and extensive technical and project management skills to the work of XII. Walter has placed the BPB on a firm foundation toward success”.   

The Best Practices Board mission is to actively manage the production, dissemination and continual  improvement of work products that describe methods and processes for successful development, implementation, integration, maintenance and usage of XBRL specifications. The current focus of  the board and its working groups is in the areas of Taxonomy Architecture, Software Interoperability, Project Management and Reporting Processes.     

For more information on the work of the Best Practices Board go to:   to view its Charter.