News

Museums Association (MA) members have chosen seven representatives out of a possible 19 to stand on the newly constituted board following last month's election.

A record 1,076 votes were cast in the election. The successful candidates are David Anderson, director-general, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales; David Fleming, director, National Museums Liverpool; Sally MacDonald, director, University College London Museums and Collections; Sam Mullins, director, London Transport Museum; Isabel Churcher, project manager: Renaissance, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council; Gaby Porter, independent consultant; and John Orna-Ornstein, head of London and National Programmes, British Museum.

Vanessa Trevelyan, director of Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, will stay on as president of the MA following her election in October 2010.

The representatives were elected after a radical restructure of the MA’s system of governance last year in which the size of the board was reduced. The new board will meet at least six times a year to determine the strategic direction of the Association.

The MA hopes the smaller board will be more dynamic, offering an increased contribution to policy and achieving greater visibility for the organisation, as well as engaging with staff, stakeholders and members.

The elected members will now nominate a further four representatives to the board on the basis of their expertise and experience.

MA director Mark Tayor said: “This has been new territory in a number of ways. A new governance system, which has produced candidates of outstanding quality and commitment, and the MA's first electronic ballot, which has gone very smoothly and has produced the biggest turn out we have ever had - over 19%.

“The seven members elected plus president must now look at the shape and make up of the board and nominate four further individuals who can complete the skills and experience needed to run the MA.”

The initial board will first meet in April and the full 12-person board will meet for the first time in June.

Correction
07.03.2011

We reported that 6,160 votes were cast in the election. This was incorrect. The number cast was in fact 1,076.