Farewell Jo, Welcome Dan

Long standing director and trustee Jo White stood down at the Annual General Meetings held on 26 June 2018. Jo had been on the board of the various companies and societies involved in the ICOF family of businesses for 15 years and she had been chair since 2011. She had combined this exacting voluntary position with her full-time job as director of the business development consultancy Co-operative Futures. Everyone at the AGM gave her a well-deserved vote of thanks.

The board is expected to announce the appointment of a new chair at the end of July.

This year, for the first time in several years, there was a contested election for positions on the board. Daniel Holden, a member of Manchester-based worker co-op Unicorn Grocery, was elected as a new director and trustee. Previous board members Andrew Harrison and Dave Hollings were re-elected.

In her final presentation as chair Jo explained that over the next few years the board is aiming to simplify the complicated governance structure of Co-operative & Community Finance. It currently comprises five separate companies and societies and the intention is to end up with one community benefit society.

[The photo shows staff members Ian Rothwell (left) and Alain Demontoux applauding Jo White at the end the AGM]