Board of Directors
Roles and responsibilities of directors
The directors are responsible for the strategic direction of Co-operative & Community Finance and for managing the staff. The directors receive no remuneration for their involvement although they can be reimbursed for essential expenses.
The directors have various legal responsibilities including overseeing the preparation of the annual report and the financial statements. They are responsible for keeping proper accounting records and for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the company or society and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
Nominate or elect a director
We want more people to be involved in the process of appointing our directors. We want more people to nominate candidates, to stand for election and to vote. We actually have two boards of directors – this is explained in our structure & governance – but at present the same people sit on both boards, although this is not a requirement.
Each year one third of the directors of each board retire from office to make way for an election. We welcome our members to get more involved with the democratic management of Co-operative & Community Finance.
So if you would like to volunteer as a potential director or nominate someone, please email info@coopfinance.coop or phone 0117 916 6750
Our current board of directors
(re-elected 20/06/2024 )
Jon was General Secretary of Woodcraft Folk, the children and young people’s co-operative, for eight years. Before this he was Chief Executive of the Green Party in the run up to the election of their first MP in 2010. With a background in worker co-ops and membership-led campaigning organisations, Jon is an expert in democratic governance and engagement.
(re-elected 20/06/2024)
Previously a a specialist adviser in the Co-operative Development Scotland team within Scottish Enterprise, Jaye has worked with co-ops and employee owned businesses, and held an equity investment role.
(elected 30/06/22)
Maggie is the Chief Executive of Funding London, a fund of funds providing finance to SMEs caught in the finance gap. Maggie’s focus is the planning, creation and launch of new funds. Maggie has also been involved in funds targeting community-based organisations in East London and impactful social enterprises targeting children and young people. In addition, she has also been responsible for establishing successful investment readiness programmes targeting underrepresented entrepreneurs in London.
(elected 15/06/2023)
After spending over 20 years in Commercial Banking, Paul purchased and ran an award winning village store and post office with his wife for 14 years.
Currently a Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at Midcounties Co-op and also sits on the Board of Co-op Futures.
Mark is an experienced business and organisational development worker, entrepreneur, facilitator and trainer with a particular interest in co-operative and social enterprise. Mark has been a Co-operative Development Practitioner for over 15 years and director/ secretary of a number of co-ops around the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire and did a stint on the board of Co-ops UK
Dan is an Arts Professional and Co-operative Development Worker. He is a founding director of Two Queens, an artist-run and community-owned gallery and studios based in Leicester and recently joined CASE an employee owned co-op delivering Co-op development support across the East Midlands.
Gareth Nash
Gareth is co-founder of Co-operative and Mutual Solutions a worker co-op established in in 2002 delivering Co-op Development support, based in the North West.
Gareth was a board Director of Co-ops UK for 5 years and currently an active member of LLARC (Later Life Audio and Radio Co-operative) and Community Energy Preston, a Director of Lancaster Music Co-op and treasurer of Blackpool Poverty Truth Network.
Gauthier Guerin
Gauthier has been involved in the co-operative sector for over 10 years, ranging from living in, setting up and supporting housing co-operatives, as well as working in and supporting workers co-operatives. He is a specialist in financial modelling and has been managing the Rootstock/Radical Routes loan fund for several years .
Representatives from nominated bodies
Co-operatives UK Representative
(elected 15/06/2023)
Ruth joined Co-operatives UK as Head of Finance early in 2023, and is a Chartered Accountant. She qualified in 2009, before moving on to work in-house at a number of financial services firms in the North West. Ruth volunteers as treasurer of a Liverpool based charity.