Independent Society Members (ISMs)

I am a lifelong co-operator and have been an elected member at Central Society and its forbears for over 43 years. I am currently on my second term as President. On the Members’ Council, I represent Co-operative Press where I’ve been a director since 2008 and Chair 2013-19 and 2021 to present. I’ve previously been a Co-operative College governor, Vice Chair of Supporters Direct and a member of the Co-op Group’s former national Values & Principles Committee representing all the independent societies.

I want to see a strong and democratic Co-op Group for the good of all the movement.

I’m passionate about advancing the values and principles of the Co-operative movement, and believe my experience, skills and commitment to collaboration make me a strong candidate to represent Co-op members effectively. As the Chief Financial Officer for Lincolnshire Co-op, I have the expertise and leadership qualities needed to contribute meaningfully to the governance, strategic direction and financial stewardship of the Co-op Group. I am keen to apply this knowledge to furthering the impact of the National Members' Council.

My co-operative beliefs in values and principles are influenced by our members. As someone steeped in the history of our movement, and has experience and understanding of the interpretation of core financial information required, I am proud to serve on the Members' Council; the chance to expand my knowledge and experience in such an organisation is motivating. My experience as a regional and board member of Scotmid hopefully gives me the credentials required to serve the Co-op Group well.

I am the current Chair of Co-operatives UK and a director of the Heart of England Co-operative Society. I teach in the Coventry University Business School, including lectures on co-operatives.

I have a B.A.(Hons) in Social Science, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Industrial Relations, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and an M.A. in Third World Studies, and I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I am an independent society member of the Council and Senate of the Co-op Group. A member of too many co-ops to list, a member of the Co-operative College and the Co-op Party. I am also reviews' editor of the UK Journal for Co-operative Studies.

I was elected to the Board of the East of England Co-op in 2023. Having worked as a solicitor before moving to Suffolk, I now work for Network Suffolk which facilitates faith groups to communicate and work together. I am also a volunteer director of Eastern Savings & Loans Credit Union, a role she has held for the past 10 years. I am a member of the Co-operative Party and a hands-on volunteer with Dora Brown, a decluttering and deep-cleaning charity which helps local families in crisis.

With a lifelong personal commitment to co-operative values and principles, I'm proud to be representing member interests as an elected director of the Southern Co-operative, and on the Members' Council.

My work in heritage management across the UK in sectors from social enterprise and the lottery to public libraries and national parks, has included CEO and consultancy roles.

Volunteering currently includes my local climate change group, being a national museum trustee and a government appointed national park authority member, pursuing interests in sustainable development, community engagement, heritage and wildlife.

Hi my name is Shajidur Rahman (Shaz). I've been elected on behalf of Co-op Press to the NMC. My area of interest and background are within environmental sustainability and co-ops. In my day job I work in energy efficiency. I'm a director of Community Energy Birmingham Friends of the Earth and I'm a member of the Central England Co-op's Membership and Community Council. I also have a website where I focus on these issues www.shaziety.com.

I’ve worked for Midcounties for 30 years, and have been elected as Independent Society representative on the Members’ Council. My role in Midcounties is Chief Values Officer, looking after our member engagement, community work and sustainability activity. I strongly believe in both Co-operation amongst Co-operatives, and in member participation and both understand and appreciate the role the National Members Council play in helping the excellent work that Co-op Group do in this area. I would hope that I can bring some of my experience in the Co-op movement to help support the Council’s work.

I am a committed co-operator and have spent much of my career promoting co-operatives in our society. I have worked for Co-operation and Mutuality Scotland and in that role, I was the founding secretary of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Co-operatives. Since 2013, I have worked for the Co-operative Party in Scotland.

I have been a director of Scotmid Co-operative since 2018 and serve as Vice-Chair of Scotmid’s North Committee.

I am a member of a number of other co-operatives including the Co-operative Group and my local credit union. I am a trustee of CETS (Co-operative Education Trust Scotland). I am a founding director and now the Chair of Dundee Renewable Energy Society, developing a community-owned solar co-operative on the outskirts of Dundee. I am a strong supporter of Fairtrade and was a Director of Bala Sport Co-op as we tried to encourage Fairtrade in sporting goods. I have been the Convener of the Dundee Fairtrade Forum for over ten years.

I have a degree in Modern History and Political Science and a PhD in history and I have published on the history of nineteenth and twentieth century Britain and Ireland. I have worked in further and higher education and in the House of Commons and the Scottish Parliament. I have led a small human rights charity and served as a local councillor. I have served as director or trustee of a number of organisations in my local community including Dundee Leisure, Leisure and Culture Dundee and Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre.

I welcome the opportunity to work with fellow-co-operators on the National Members’ Council, putting the interests of members first and promoting the co-operative ideal.

I have been a co-operator all of my adult life and am currently a Non-Executive Director of Central Co-operative Society. I previously served within the democratic structures of the Co-operative Group, including as a Group Board Director from October 2013 to May 2015 and as a Vice-President of the National Members' Council from July 2015 to July 2016.

A Chartered Accountant by profession, I have substantial senior management experience and have also worked in the areas of internal and external audit. I am currently Chief Executive of a mutual financial services business, which is based in the West Midlands and serves its membership across the United Kingdom through a network of member representatives. This role gives me practical experience of implementing the mutual model of doing business in a highly regulated environment. I can scrutinise financial information, implement business strategies and assess risks.

As the largest retail society, the Co-operative Group has an important role to play in working together with the independent societies to navigate the significant challenges that we face in rapidly-changing markets. We need to do this in a co-operative way that builds on economies of scale and recognises where we can work well together, whilst respecting the individual identity, heritage and future of each co-operative society. I am a firm believer that a strong and vibrant Co-operative Group is vital for the entire Co-operative Movement.

I am a proud representative of the Channel Islands Co-op as an ISM council member. My career spans 21 years, including eight years at Co-op UK, where I led transformative workstreams on Format, Range, and Space as a programme lead. Prior to that, I served as a store manager, having started in store from school at 16, which gave me invaluable insights into the operational aspects of our society. Currently, I hold the position of Chief Commercial Officer for our society, based in Jersey.

I am deeply passionate about co-operative values, particularly those related to ethical and local sourcing, food security, and sustainability. The importance of supporting local and regional producers cannot be overstated, as they are crucial to the vitality of our local communities and economies. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical need for robust food security sourcing, highlighting the essential role that co-operatives play in this area.

Despite its profound impact, the co-operative way of doing business often remains underappreciated, misunderstood, and unknown to many people. There is significant potential for the movement to expand our societies, thereby amplifying our voice and the benefits it brings to the communities we serve. By embracing and promoting co-operative principles, we can foster greater resilience, sustainability, and fairness in our local communities.

Originally from London, I have spent most of my life living in the Midlands. I have two daughters and a husband who is a past president of the Midlands Co-operative Society. Most of my working life has been in education. I have been involved with the Co-operative Movement all my life and in particular, the Central Co-operative Society. I am currently Vice-President and an Independent Society Member on the Members' Council. I enjoy reading, gentle walking and travel.

I worked for Midcounties Co-op for just under 28 years and have been involved in the Co-operative Movement through that time. I am an elected Director of Midcounties and have represented the Society at numerous conferences, Co-op Party and Co-operative UK events and congresses. I am also a member of the Co-operative UK’s National Consumer Council. My experience gives me the confidence to listen and understand everyone’s opinions and give people the respect and dignity they all deserve.

I am a Director of Lincolnshire Co-operative Society. I have been a Trustee of the UK Society for Co-operative Studies (UKSCS) and was elected as the UKSCS Chair for two years. I have other Board level experience for a Criminal Justice charity, a College of Further Education, a Community Arts charity, the NHS, and in running my own consultancy business, Aegir Consulting Limited, since 2011. I developed and trained out the External Assessor Programme for Chairs/Board Members for the European Governance Model® which incorporates European Standards for Boards & has been used by UK organisations for board governance reviews. I have national policy experience in criminal justice having been Chair of NPRIE, the national research body for the Probation Service.

I’ve been a director of East of England Co-operative Society since 2018, where I served as President from 2020 to 2024. I also chair The Co-operative Loan Fund. Previously, I held senior management roles within the financial services industry and have been or still am a director of companies based in the UK, Australia and Canada and a trustee of or volunteer at several UK charities. Co-ops play an important role in society but, unlike many commercial enterprises, not just through their economic activity but also through their unique values and principles and the way in which they support their members, customers and communities.