4th September 2023
This will be the last of my monthly updates and maybe a tempting opportunity to look back over two years of challenging and ultimately rewarding times as your President.
But I’ve no intention of doing that! I’m a great believer in looking forward and we have some very positive changes to look forward to. I referred in my August update to the surge of volunteers who responded to our call. They have provided the recruits we needed to restructure Council and to develop the operational systems that will support the Lit & Phil through these challenging times.
We now have a new Council team in place and, subject to your approval at our AGM, they are ready for immediate action.
Peter Wright is our new President elect. He is a generation younger than recent incumbents and a specialist practitioner in business transformation and people skills who is already demonstrating his energy, enthusiasm and ideas.
Cigdem Balim will fill the vacant Hon Secretary role, bringing her wealth of experience as an administrator and campaigner and her passionate commitment to our educational and social responsibilities.
We are also establishing a new Executive Group on Council that will undertake key tasks to co-ordinate and support our operations.
Peter Carstensen will advise on commercial aspects, using his business development skills to identify efficiency savings and new sources of income.
Manju Bhavnani will co-ordinate our programme planning and delivery, drawing on her wide experience of committee work and her love of the arts and science.
Alan Wareham will expand our marketing activity, using his current consultancy skills in digital marketing and his impressive committee experience.
And finally, we have a young Council recruit in Charlotte Lanighan who will bring us current admin and paralegal skills and ideas for adding more young people to our audiences.
There are exciting times ahead and I’ll be hanging around to lend a hand. And if you want that nostalgic look back over the past two years I’ll be waiting at the bar.
See you at the AGM,
Ian Cameron
