During its annual meeting, the International Co-operative Alliance appointed two directors to its global board.
Members voted for Ben Reid from the UK and Dmitry Zubov from Russia to join the board. The two winners were chosen from a pool of five candidates at the General Assembly in Quebec, prior to the International Summit of Cooperatives. A sixth candidate, Kim Cu Vo, nominated by Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, withdrew his participation in the process.
Mr Reid, who was nominated by Co-operatives UK and received 394 votes, is currently chief executive of Midcounties Co-operative, which employs over 9,000 staff and an annual turnover of over £1bn. Under Mr Reid’s leadership, the society has moved into the childcare, travel, health and energy markets.
After the vote, he told delegates: “I am stunned, I cannot think of a higher accolade for someone who has been in the movement for 34 years than being a member of the global board. I want to come along and work in the interests of all the members to take this great movement forward.”
https://youtu.be/Mlbjl5kK24M
Dmitry Zubov, who was not at the meeting, but received 170 votes, was nominated by the Central Union of Consumer Societies of the Russian Federation (Centrosojuz), of which he is currently chair. He has a PhD in scientific works in the field of economy and he created and managed the Soviet-Union Center of youth housing co-operatives. He worked as a deputy general director of the Soviet Union Center of Cinema and Television for Youth where he was actively engaged in the promotion of co-operative principles and values among youth.
https://youtu.be/t6uZBviFua0
At the meeting, 123 people casted a vote on behalf of 109 members from 45 countries, which represented at total of 416 votes. In addition there were 62 votes by proxy from 16 members from 14 countries. There is a total of 726 votes in the Alliance, which is held by 200 members from 80 countries – but 47 of those members are currently unpaid and also not eligible to vote.
Those who were not elected include:
- Mohammadreza Raeesinejad Doboneh is currently the head of, and was nominated by, the Central Union of Rural and Agricultural Cooperatives of Iran (CURACI). He has a BSc in Agriculture and MSc in Public Trade Administration, along with 23 years of experience in rural and agricultural co-operatives. He received 142 votes.
- Muhammad Sharif Bhaiji, nominated by Karachi Co-operative Housing Societies Union, is managing director of Karachi Cooperative Housing Societies Union, which helps with the establishment of hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centres and recreation parks. He is also the Director of Kokan Cooperative Housing. He received 53 votes.
- Usman Siraj Surur, nominated by Awach Savings and Credit Cooperative (ASCCo), is the director general of the Federal Cooperative Agency and an active member of ASCCo. He has worked in agriculture and rural development, as well as university colleges. He received 89 votes.
- For more of our coverage of the International Summit of Co-operatives, visit thenews.coop/summit.
