This summer, there is an election to appoint a new Board for Directors UK. All members are eligible to put themselves forward for nomination.
If you’re thinking about standing for the Board, read our Board Election Pack and Board Member Role Description first.
You can also attend our meeting on Tuesday 7 May to find out more about what the role entails.
This page will answer any remaining questions you might have.
If you’re ready to put your name forward, head to our nomination page and go through the application process.
What is the timetable for the elections process?
Nominations open on Wednesday 1 May and close at midday on Friday 31 May. If you want to stand for the Board, you need to complete your application before this point.
Voting will open on Tuesday 11 June and close at 10.30am on Wednesday 10 July.
All members will be contacted when voting opens with details of the candidates and information on how to vote.
Successful candidates will be contacted on Wednesday 10 July.
The result of the election will be announced at the Directors UK AGM on Thursday 11 July. All members are welcome to attend either in person or online – please book as usual through our website once booking opens.
What are the different positions on the Directors UK Board?
Directors UK is governed by an elected Non-Executive Board drawn from its membership, two Independent Non-Executive Directors, and two Executive Directors (the Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer).
The Board usually consists of 15 seats.
There are 11 positions elected by members:
• Eight general board seats
• One Associate member representative
• One Successor member representative
• One Nations and Regions representative
The Nations and Regions representative, and the Associate and Successor member representative posts are directly elected.
The Chair and Vice-Chair positions are appointed by the Board from the elected members.
Which board positions can I stand for?
There are four different positions that you can stand for:
• General board seat
• Associate member representative
• Successor member representative
• Nations and Regions representative
Full or Distribution-Only members can stand for one of the general board seats.
To stand for Associate member representative you have to be an Associate member.
To stand for Successor member representative you have to be a Successor member.
To stand as Nations and Regions representative, you have to either live or regularly work in the nations or regions outside of London and the South East.
You can stand for multiple positions, just as long as you fit the eligibility criteria for each post and think you’d be a good fit.
Do I need to have served on a board before?
You do not need prior experience of serving on a board, and successful candidates will be given a full induction as well as training on the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of directorship. We encourage nominations from across the membership, so you could be at any stage in your career, working in any medium or genre, from any background, and based anywhere in the UK.
How often does the Board meet?
The Full Board meets five or six times a year. Those serving as Chair, Vice-Chair or Successor member representative also attend additional Management Board meetings a further four times a year and those serving as Chair or Vice-Chair also attend additional Risk and Audit Committee meetings a further three times a year.
Meetings are usually held in our London office, with the option to attend virtually if unavoidable.
A general Board member is expected to dedicate up to 12 days per annum to fulfilling their role. A Vice-Chair is expected to dedicate up to 25 days per annum, and the Chair of the Board up to 50 days per annum. If you are elected Chair of a Committee this will also require additional time.
How much are board members paid?
Being a Board member is a paid role to make sure that no one is left out of pocket as a result of carrying out their Board duties.
Board members are remunerated as follows (per annum):
• Chair: £20,000
• Vice-Chair: £12,000
• All other Board members: £5,200
How long is a term on the Directors UK Board?
Board members serve a three-year term. Individuals can serve a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms.
Do I have to be a member of Directors UK to stand?
Yes, only members of Directors UK can stand for election.
Once voting opens, all members will be able to vote in every category.
How do I apply?
To stand for the Directors UK Board, head to: www.mi-nomination.com/duk.
You need to fill out the nomination form, and supply a photo of yourself. The response you submit will help other members make an informed decision about who to vote for, so take time to consider your application.
As part of the nominations process, you will be asked to name two fellow members who would be willing to propose and second your candidacy. If you need advice or support with this, please contact [email protected].
You will also need to declare any potential conflicts of interest.
What is a conflict of interest and how does that relate to my nomination?
As part of the responsibilities and liabilities of directorship, all board members must declare any potential conflicts of interest.
If elected, you must sign a standard Directors UK Conflict of Interest Policy Statement and Non-Disclosure Agreement before taking office.
The only conflict that may preclude you being able to serve on the board would be permanent employment with a broadcaster or streaming service that Directors UK is, or will soon be, entering into license negotiations with. If you’re unsure if this relates to you, please get in touch at [email protected] and we’ll talk you through it.
What is a co-opted member and how are they selected?
If necessary, the Board retains the right to co-opt further members to ensure that the Board is fully representative (both of the UK and of our membership) and contains the necessary range of expertise.
These needs may include, but are not limited to, specific skills and expertise, and protected characteristics that are recognised as being underrepresented in the industry according to Directors UK’s own campaigns.
The appointment of any co-opted board members during the year shall be approved by members at the next available AGM.
If co-opted board members wish to continue to serve on the Board, they must stand down and offer themselves for election at the next available election date.
Why haven’t I received an email or letter about standing?
Directors UK endeavours to contact all our members about governance issues, regardless of whether you have unsubscribed to our regular newsletters or other communications.
We will always try to contact you by email.
If we don’t have an email address for you, or the one you’ve provided isn’t working, or you’ve contacted us to unsubscribe from governance emails, then we will contact you via letter.
If you have received a letter but you would like to receive emails in future, please contact us at [email protected] to provide us with an up-to-date email address and let us know that you would like to update your contact preferences.
If you haven’t received either an email or a letter, then please contact us at [email protected] and we’ll look into it.
Who can vote in the election?
Voting opens on Tuesday 11 June, and all members will be eligible to vote. Voting will be online. Once voting opens, you will be contacted with information about the candidates and details on how to cast your vote. Voting will close at 10.30am on Wednesday 10 July.
What happens to my information if I decide to put myself forward?
Your personal data will be stored and processed by Directors UK in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018.
The nominations and voting processes are being managed on behalf of Directors UK by Mi-Voice, a secure third-party voting platform, which is in compliance with our GDPR policy.
Limited information will be shared with Directors UK CEO Andy Harrower and the senior management team.
Who do I contact about accessibility issues?
If you are unable to access or fill out the nominations form, or if you have any queries about how we will ensure accessibility when carrying out board duties, please contact [email protected].
Who can I speak to if I have any further questions?
If you have any further questions about the nominations process, please contact [email protected].
If you experience technical difficulties submitting your nomination please contact Mi-Voice, the organisation hosting the nomination site, directly. They can be reached at [email protected] or +44 (0)2380 763 987.