Voting opens for Trustee vacancies and amendments to Royal Charter and By-laws
2nd May 2024
At the close of the call for nominations on 2 April 2024, at least one eligible nomination had been received for each of the Trustee roles due to become vacant at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 11 June 2024.
The Nominations Committee have considered the applications against the person specifications set out in the Trustee role profiles and confirmed that all candidates were suitable for the roles for which they applied.
Only one nomination was received for the positions of Deputy President (President for 2025/2026), Vice President (Qualifications), Vice President (Member Engagement) and Regional Ordinary Member (Rest of World). Candidates for these uncontested seats will be formally elected at the June AGM.
- Raffaella Ocone – Deputy President
- Alan Harper – Vice President (Qualifications)
- Andrea Hosey – Vice President (Member Engagement)
- Tawana Muchatuta – Regional/Ordinary Member (Rest of World)
Contested positions
The three remaining positions on the Board of Trustees will be contested by two or more candidates, and voting members are encouraged to review the candidates’ election statements, which are presented in video as well as written formats, and vote for their preferred candidates in the ballot.
The ballot for the contested seats is now open and will close at 09:30 BST on 16 May 2024.
Position: Vice President (Learned Society - three-year term)
- Joan Cordiner
- Alexandra Meldrum
Position: Ordinary Member (two-year term):
- Thaddeus Anim-Somuah
- Helen Ramsay
- Tim Mays
Position: Ordinary Member (three-year term):
- Iqbal Essa
- Paul McLaughlin
All successful candidates for Congress and the Board of Trustees will be formally elected and take up their seats with effect from the AGM, which is to be held virtually on 11 June 2024. Successful candidates for Congress, IChemE’s member advisory body, were announced in April 2024.
View more details on the elections, eligibility and how to vote.
Amendments to IChemE’s Royal Charter and By-laws
Following a holistic review of IChemE’s governing documents, a number of amendments to the Royal Charter and By-laws are being proposed. These will be voted on by IChemE’s voting members in a poll being conducted between 2-16 May, with the results being declared at the Institution’s AGM on 11 June 2024.
While the Royal Charter has undergone minimal change, the By-laws have been extensively re-organised and re-written, although predominantly the meaning remains unchanged.
Amendment relating to Fellow grade of membership
This proposed amendment reflects the Institution’s desire and need to be truly diverse and inclusive, welcoming worthy individuals contributing to chemical and process engineering into our Fellow grade of membership from a wider range of backgrounds than has been possible to this point. This will strengthen the Institution’s voice and contributions to crucial national and international discourse whilst maintaining the highest professional standards.
This proposed amendment – building on work by the Membership and Qualifications Committee and supported strongly by the Board of Trustees – ‘decouples' FIChemE from Chartered Engineer status. This enables the Institution to attract into membership and recognise those who have made significant contributions to chemical and process engineering, including from ‘non-traditional’ routes such as first degrees in other engineering or science subjects. This brings IChemE into line with other Engineering Institutions and professional societies and allows us to recognise the significant contribution and importance of many people working in and supporting chemical and process engineering, such as academics, those driving innovation in new technologies, research and public service.
This change will strengthen the Institution’s voice on behalf of the membership, enabling us to embrace individuals of appropriate standing from a range of backgrounds and positions. The added diversity of our Fellows will significantly strengthen the influence that the membership can have on policy – in the UK, Australasia, Malaysia, Singapore and globally. It will also extend the networks and opportunities available to members, benefitting chemical and process engineering, and wider society.
Voting members are encouraged to review and vote on the proposed changes. View full details here.
In order to participate in the ballot for the contested Trustee positions and in the poll relating to the proposed Royal Charter and By-law amendments, voting members will require their unique voter code contained within personalised emails sent today from Mi-Voice, an independent electoral service provider. The email will include the notice and other relevant information regarding the AGM.
Notes to editors
The election of Raffaella Ocone as Deputy President will create a casual vacancy in the role of ‘Regional’ Ordinary Member (UK), which will be addressed by the Board of Trustees in due course.
Links
IChemE announces new congress members
AGM - proposed changes to Royal Charter and By-laws
Contact
For more information please contact:
Ann Baylis, Communications Executive and PR Lead, IChemE
t: +44 (0) 1788 534477
e: abaylis@icheme.org
Dan Owens, Communications Executive, IChemE
t: +44 (0) 1788 534458
e: dowens@icheme.org
What is chemical engineering?
Chemical, biochemical and process engineering is the application of science, maths and economics in the process of turning raw materials into everyday, and more specialist, products. Professional chemical engineers design, construct and manage process operations all over the world. Oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, synthetic fibres and clean drinking water are just some of the products where chemical engineering plays a central role.
IChemE
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) advances chemical engineering's contribution worldwide for the benefit of society. We facilitate the development of chemical engineering professionals and provide connections to a powerful network of over 29,000 members in more than 100 countries.
We support our members in applying their expertise and experience to make an influential contribution to solving major global challenges, and are the only organisation permitted to award Chartered Chemical Engineer status and Professional Process Safety Engineer registration.
More information: www.icheme.org