Directors UK Board members step down in support of new restructuring process

Directors UK would like to announce that a number of Board members have recently made the decision to step down in support of restructuring the current Board setup.  

Following a recent governance review of our Board practices and processes, as outlined in our most recent Annual Report, the Board has taken the decision to reduce the number of seats and refocus the committees to ensure we are operating as efficiently and effectively as we can on behalf of members.  

All Board members were invited to volunteer to step down, and the seven members who have decided to do so are Toral Dixit, Darcia Martin, Geoff Posner, Ashok Prasad and Paul Unwin, as well as North West England Nations and Regions Representative Illy Hill and Successor Members’ Representative Michael Omer.  

Directors UK Board Chair Steve Smith had this to say about the departing Board members: “As Chair I would personally like to thank those who have volunteered to step down for all their hard work and dedication to Directors UK. The last few years have been exceptionally busy and they have played a crucial role in helping focus and guide the Board as we seek to improve members future rights, pay and working conditions. Some have been giving their time to Directors UK since 2015 others joined the board in 2017 and we are enormously grateful to them all for their commitment over the years. The remaining board and I will ensure that Directors UK continues their good work on behalf of directors.”  

Directors UK CEO Andrew Chowns also wanted to thank all seven directors for their service: “I’m always greatly appreciative of Directors UK Board members - working directors who juggle their career commitments with their passion and dedication for improving their profession. We’ve had some real challenges and some great successes in the last few years and I would like to take the opportunity to thank those who are stepping down for their contributions to all we have achieved.” 

Directors UK’s continued success in negotiating better pay and working conditions and campaigning for fairer treatment for all directors has guided the redesign of our committee system in order to be even more impactful and responsive to members’ needs.   

While the Board is reducing its size, we will be co-opting a number of members to positions that we are required to fulfil under our obligations to members, such as replacing the Successor Members’ Representative. More details will be announced about this in due course. 

Please join us in thanking Toral, Darcia, Geoff, Ashok, Paul, Illy and Michael for their sterling work on the Directors UK Board over the last few years, where they have helped usher in the new UK rights deal and helped Directors UK become a respected voice for directors on the issues that matter.