UKC

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) today announces that Chair of the Board, Catherine Hawkins, will step down from her position in July 2025.

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Appointment announced 25 March, to start her term in June, and then announced that she's stepping down on 25 Jun. It sounds like she changed her mind and never actually started.

Good spot. 

As usual hard to track what’s going on - not that I do anymore. Last Board minutes published in February. The summaries have gone out of the window (“The summaries were introduced following the BMC AGM on 16 June 2018, and aim to let BMC members know the key themes discussed at each Board meeting and any important decisions that can be made public. The summaries will be produced and published as soon as practical after each Board meeting”)

Hopefully next Chair will be a climber ie has skin in the game and understands the sport

Trouble at t'mill again?

It is the most powerful position in the BMC. The last permanent appointment was a disaster and they’ve struggled to find, appoint and retain since. The direction of travel leaves me cold.  

Apply for the job. Even a year there to get strategy agreed would be a massive step forward. It seems to me they are totally muddled on what their role should be. This is not surprising considering the mushrooming of outside users and their extremely broad and widening church ranging from hill walking to indoor bouldering comps!

I’m not suitable but I have done my best to help last year by approaching and trying to persuade several people who are and supplied names to Board members. 

Totally agree. They should appoint someone who has a strong climbing pedigree who has the respect of the membership, after all it is the British Mountaineering Council, how can we have a non-climber in the most senior position 🤔

Perhaps there's also a problem with the Nominations Committee as there has been a succession of director appointments who then leave prematurely, not a good success rate 🤥

https://thebmc.co.uk/en/bmc-nominations-committee

Completely agree and therein lies part of the problem. The BMC covers so much that latterly the Chair role with all its governance requirements has become a full time job which is off-putting to any keen climber. 

No ideal, however I am willing to cut them a little slack. Of the three positions they had to sort, CEO, President and Chair, I have been impressed with Paul and Dom. The Chair position I think took them a bit by surprise as Roger was intending to stay in post so this seems like a rushed decision that didn't pan out.

Hopefully they will take their time, emulate their success in selection of the other two posts and do better for the next Chair!

Yes agreed, and like you say although this is less than ideal,  it's for the best that Catherine Hawkins was honest with herself and the organisation and recognised that she doesn't have the time that the role deserves - if indeed that is the real reason and not a line!

Paul and Dom both seem very good and so I've every hope they'll fill the role with a strong appointment.