Gordon Bennie has taken over from Douglas Hansen-Luke to get an active financial services group organised and organisational effectiveness needs to focus on marketing – in particular strategy, digital and workplace skills. Paula Boast and Rick Hopper over in Construction have held a meeting focused on Professional Indemnity Insurance where Michael Earp, from Aon Risk Solutions, spoke. Clive Hopewell and I put together the labour law seminar – and we think that legal and construction will partner on a couple of seminars coming up. Encouraging a younger membership One idea that was highlighted at the construction group and from organisational effectiveness was the idea of opening up opportunities for young people to gain an insight into the world of work and to start making connections that will help them to get jobs in the future – so we are considering having a group focused on young people and Reem Al Mahroos at
Charles Russell is exploring the best way to do this. We are also considering how to do this within the membership structure and are thinking about having a nominal membership fee for individuals under 30 and for there to be two free junior memberships for each corporate package – more at the AGM. Get involved – offer speakers – give us your ideas – offer tangible help I have also heard that people want to understand how they can speak at the meetings – and that perhaps there is some kind of closed shop about speakers – this is not the case and if you want to speak or have an expert who you want to give members access to please contact us – because we all do this voluntarily we are likely to go with what you want as members as well as what comes to us as topic.
and so Lesley Moorey and I will ask those involved for ideas. If you have a passionate interest and want to run an interest group please let me know – I hear that there is a need for a hospitality and tourism group so if there is someone with the passion to do this please let me know. There was also some demand for a ladies group so we have partnered with BIZladies and there is now a British ladies group facilitated by Laura Dossary and Lisa Bateman and so we think that this is now covered. There is still a lot to do so if you want to help please do – we will update you and ask for your views at the AGM.
We will announce a sponsor at the AGM – this will make the whole thing more productive and easier to manage.
As a member you can attend all meetings as a part of your membership – you can bring guests for a cover charge – you can initiate a group, speak to one of the groups. So please let me know what you want and I will do my best to help you to make it happen.
We always need help with venues – I want to support all of our member hotels
Jill Boggiss Chairman, SIGs
Forum 11