Description
Society for Experimental Biology. Served on Council and as Vice President (2005-2007) and President (2007-2009)The Society of Experimental Biology is the largest non-profit making organisation for experimental biology in Europe and a leading international learned society. The SEB runs a highly successful publishing business which funds the charitable aims of the Society. As President I was responsible for the staff, strategy and finances of the society. I initiated arguably the most profound reform of the governance of the Society in its history, removing one layer of management, restructuring committees and introducing a streamlined more strategically focused Council which included independent members from business and publishing. The reforms introduced a new level of transparency and accountability, leading to the direct election of officers and committee members. I also promoted a wide ranging collaboration with the Biochemical Society and the British Ecological Society, resulting in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at ceremony in the House of Commons. This led to the joint purchase and redevelopment of a £5million office building in central London, renamed Charles Darwin House, to serve as the joint headquarters for all three societies. When it opens in 2010 Charles Darwin House will provide state-of-the-art meeting rooms and will serve as a hub for the consolidation of other learned societies in the fragmented life-sciences sector. At the end of my term as President it was widely recognised that the SEB had a new strategic direction, strong governance and a robust financial position.
| Period | 1972 → 2009 |
|---|---|
| Held at | Society for Experimental Biology, United Kingdom |