01 November 2007 – Appointment of new Non-Executive Directors for Remploy Ltd

Ian Black and Kate Nash have been appointed as Non-Executive Directors of Remploy, UK's leading provider of employment opportunities for disabled people.

Announcing the appointment, Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, said:

“I am very pleased that we have been able to attract such high calibre individuals to work with Remploy and would also like to offer my thanks to the outgoing Directors, Sally Smedley and Lisa Stone for their service to Remploy”.

Ian Russell, Remploy Chair said:

"I am delighted to welcome Ian and Kate on to the Remploy Board at this crucial time, to help the company maximise opportunities for the factory network and the employment services business."

Notes for Editors

1. Remploy Ltd is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. It receives a grant-in-aid each year in exchange for delivering a range of employment opportunities for around 10,000 disabled people under the Government’s WORKSTEP programme. Remploy delivers this support by operating as a commercial organisation with around 80 business sites and also by providing support to disabled people working with other employers through its Employment Services business.
2. The Company has a large presence in the school furniture business, it supplies clothing for the armed forces, and it has an automotive business, which supplies companies such as Honda, Ford and Land Rover. In addition they operate managed services on customer sites including CCTV or call centre operations.
3. Following the announcement of their modernisation proposals in May, Remploy are due to present their final proposals to The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions later this year, following a period of consultation. The Company proposed to quadruple the number of disabled people they support into work, by transferring some of their resource from their costly factory provision into their Employment Services business, which helps support disabled people into mainstream jobs.
4. Mr Ian Black is a highly experienced and commercially orientated HR Director and Business Partner who has worked in various sectors.  Mr Black has significant experience as an executive director and board member.  For the last 10 years Ian has worked at BAT/Rothmans as a senior HR Director. Mr Black has worked at other leading organisations, including NCR organisation, AT&T and Sidlaw PLC.
5. Ms Kate Nash has 20 years experience in working strategically to effect long-term attitudinal and major social systems change in relation to disabled people. Kate was Chief Executive of the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR) for five and a half years. Prior to that she was the deputy CEO and Company Secretary with Arthritis Care; Founding Director of the Leadership Consortium; Business Development Manager at the Employers Forum on Disability; Director of Young Arthritis Care and Campaigns and Research Assistant with SCOPE. Kate Nash is now a freelance Diversity Consultant. Ms Nash also holds posts as a Governor of Motability, the leading car scheme for disabled people and as an Non-Executive Director of the Disability & Carers Service, an Executive Agency of the Department for Work and Pensions
6. The appointment of Remploy Non-Executive Directors is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. The recruitment and selection process was in accordance with the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice. Mr Black and Ms Nash do not hold any other ministerial public appointments.
7. The appointments as Non-Executive Directors are for an initial three year period and attract remuneration of £7,500 per annum. The appointments will begin on 1 November 2007.
8. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity to be made public. Both Mr Black and Ms Nash have declared they do not undertake any political activity.
9. Sally Smedley and Lisa Stone were Non Executive Remploy Board members for six years and retired from the Board on 31st July 2007. 

 

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