British Marine seeks Board Chair

Published on: 03 March 2022

British Marine logo

British Marine (BM), the trade association for the UK leisure, superyacht and small commercial marine industry, is seeking a Chair to its Board.


This new role is a high-profile position within the leisure marine industry, managing and providing leadership to the organisation’s Board of 12 from across a diverse range of marine industries.


Focusing on strategic matters, overseeing British Marine business and setting high governance standards, the Chair will play a pivotal role in fostering the effectiveness of the Board both inside and outside the boardroom.


Applications are being sought from experienced individuals with a proven history of successful chairing within a multi-faceted organisation and with the personal gravitas to lead the Board during a changing landscape post-pandemic. 


The role is a two-year term, volunteer role, requiring a time commitment of up to approximately four days per month. 


About British Marine 

Through the provision of world-class events, specialist services and business support tools, British Marine supports over 1,500 member businesses in achieving long-term sustainable growth. It also owns and manages the Southampton International Boat Show, the UK’s showcase event for the leisure marine industry.


At British Marine, we are ambitious problem-solving people, approaching everything we do with fresh eyes. Positive, upbeat, enthusiastic and progressive, we put members at the heart of everything we do. 


Role and responsibilities

  • To serve as Chair for the Board
  • To act as a high-profile advocate for British Marine, including representing British Marine at events and meetings where required
  • To conduct annual appraisals of all members of the Board
  • To chair the Remuneration Committee and the Investment Committee and others as required
  • To attend Council meetings
  • To function as mentor and support for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as well as his/her reporting line

Accountable to the Board and to Members, the Chair is authorised to represent British Marine’s views and policies to external bodies and stakeholders without the need for prior clearance.

Role Eligibility

The role of the British Marine Board is to supervise the management of the organisation’s business, to comply with British Marine rules and regulations and to discharge the responsibilities of the directors under the Companies Act. 


The Chair must be legally eligible to serve as a Company Director in England, Wales and Scotland and can either be within British Marine membership or from outside, though we would prefer someone from within the leisure marine industry. 


Due to the responsibilities of the role, careful management of perceived or actual conflicts of interest is of paramount importance. Candidates must declare any interests, and these will be considered in the recruitment process. 


Applicants must have proven and relevant Board chairing experience and should possess tact, diplomacy and excellent powers of communication and persuasion; skills and experience within the leisure marine sector is also desirable. 


President of British Marine, Ian Cooke said: “As Chair you will play a vital leadership role in setting strategy and overseeing the governance of the organisation. As the demands of the business have grown, and will continue to do so in the future, this appointment provides an opportunity for an outstanding individual to play a significant role in supporting the leisure marine industry in the UK.”


The role is a two-year pro-bono post commencing in July 2022 with a possible further two-year term by mutual agreement.  The Chair role also sits on Council which provides representation of the wider British Marine membership.


How to apply

If you would like to join the Board and feel you have the relevant skills and experience, please email a covering letter and Curriculum Vitae, as well as details of two professional references to Dmanners@britishmarine.co.uk.


The closing date for applications is 31 March 2022.  


British Marine actively promotes diversity in its workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. 


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