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Governance

History

History

A strong pedigree

IPSE has been representing the interests of the self-employed since 1999. IPSE was originally formed as the Professional Contractors Group to provide independent contractors and consultants with a representative voice in opposition to the original IR35 proposals. 

Over time IPSE evolved from being a single-issue campaign group to a fully-fledged, not-for-profit professional body, and into the largest association of self employed in the UK.

We've had some notable successes over the years:

  • Protection from IR35: IPSE has successfully helped thousands of members with IR35. Thanks to our expert advice and insurance, freelancers who are IPSE members are half as likely to pay extra tax under IR35 than those who aren’t. 
  • Small Business Commissioner: we were instrumental in establishing this newly created Government post, aimed at naming and shaming companies with a late payment culture.  
  • Modern Employment Review: IPSE called for and directly fed into the Government-commissioned review of solo working published in 2017, and has joined a Ministerial advisory panel on how the review will be implemented.
  • Tax relief for work-related travel and subsistence: in 2015 the Government announced it was planning to curtail the vital tax freelancers rely on for work travel. IPSE’s extensive lobbying and media campaign ensured the plans were shelved. 
  • Intra-company transfers: these rules allow companies to transfer specialist staff between countries to address skills shortages, but are sometimes exploited to reduce contractors’ fees. IPSE successfully brought about a change in the rules to tackle this exploitation.
  • Section 660 win in the House of Lords: IPSE successfully backed two members all the way to the House of Lords in a case involving punitive and retrospective changes to tax law, and the case was consequently thrown out. 

 

For more information on IPSE’s current campaigning work visit the Policy section of the site.

IPSE Board of Directors

IPSE Board of Directors

The Chairman and Directors of IPSE are responsible for the organisation's strategic direction. All are non-executive directors and from time-to-time they may appoint executive directors as required. IPSE's executive team look after the day-to-day operations of the organisation. 

Meet the team

IPSE Board of Directors

Matthew Searle

Chair

In his extensive career as an IT consultant, Matthew Searle has worked on a wide range of projects in both the public and private sectors. A graduate of Aston Business School, Matt has primarily specialised in delivering complex call-centre solutions for clients including National Savings, the Metropolitan Police Service, CGI, and the Home Office.

An IPSE member since 2006, Matt was elected to IPSE’s Board of Directors in 2015 and has twice served as Deputy Chair before being appointed Chair in 2020. Since joining the Board, he has been particularly focused on making IPSE the lead organisation supporting all parts of the self-employed community. One of his key priorities is lobbying the government to create a modern, fair tax system.

Peter Baynham

Non-Executive Director, Chair of Audit & Risk Committee

Peter has considerable financial and management experience, gained from a long and highly successful career. Over the course of 30 years, Peter worked in a wide variety of roles for everyone from Natwest to PWC. And for 10 years, until his retirement in 2011, he was a Partner in the international firm of consultants Mercer Ltd.

Peter was appointed to the IPSE Board in 2015. And in addition to IPSE, he holds non-executive positions on the boards of a range of public and private sector organisations. He is also a trustee of ABF, the Soldiers’ Charity.

Julia Hilger-Ellis

Elected Director

Julia grew up in Germany and came to the UK in the early 1990s, initially to complete a degree in African Studies at SOAS London.

Julia started her career in the airline industry whilst teaching undergraduates, when an early opportunity arose in customer services (where she could use her multi-lingual skills). She quickly rose through the ranks to become a Senior Manager as part of the HR team, managing the adult education centres across the airline's international network, as well a number of large scale projects/ programmes.

She moved into the NHS to gain experience in the public sector and develop her communication and marketing skills and managed transformational Programmes for the London Health Authority. She has been an independent consultant since 2007 specialising in the Emergency Services Sector and continues to deliver large scale operational programmes, including the implementation and mobilisation of new, innovative NHS services.

Julia also manages a number of start up businesses, including a specialist clinical tools e-commerce business and clinical education company. She has a particular interest in digital innovation enhancing patient care, adult education and development and social media, which she uses to develop and promote new business ideas and products.

Julia mentors Project and Programme Managers in the NHS and is also a Trustee of a National charity and in her spare time manages a large local sports membership club. 

Iain Sturrock

Elected Director

After a Short Career Commission in the Royal Navy, Iain worked in telecoms for 20 years in increasingly senior management roles. He left corporate life in 2001 and has worked in executive interim roles since, leading major transformation programmes for blue-chip companies and SMEs and providing due diligence and advisory services to private equity. He has previous experience of serving on not-for-profit boards including as Vice-President and Trustee of the IET, Chair of Audit Committee and Member of Senate of the Engineering Council and as a founding director of the Engineering and Technology Board. He has also served as Chair of Governors of Bisham CE School.

He is a Chartered Engineer, holds a post-graduate diploma in accounting and finance and is a graduate of the FT Non-Executive Director Diploma programme. He was awarded an MBE in 2003 for “Services to Business and Engineering”. Iain is married with 4 children and lives in Berkshire.

IPSE Board of Directors

Mandy Clarke

Elected Director, Member of Audit & Risk Committee

Mandy is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years’ experience across a range of industries and countries. In the course of her career, she has taken many executive-level roles looking after both HR strategy and organisational development. She has also led a large number of HR, talent and shared services transformation programmes to improve performance for a range of organisations.

Since 2010, she has been an independent consultant providing strategic advice and interim services to a variety of clients in the public, private and third sectors – ranging from SMEs to FTSE 100 companies.

In 2016, Mandy joined IPSE’s Board as a Non-Executive Director, and is now also a member of the Nominations Committee.

Mandy is based in Wiltshire, is married and has two children.

Ian Wood

Elected Director

Ian is a freelance IT professional with twenty years' experience who joined IPSE in 2006.  Returning to the board of directors for his second term, Ian is keen to support the views and concerns of members. 

 

Based in Glasgow, Ian has been an active and vocal supporter of IPSE for some time and he is keen to bring freelancers together to discuss key issues and anything to do with rugby.

Forum name: Ian Wood

Derek Cribb

Interim CEO

Derek Cribb joins IPSE as interim CEO from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), now a fast growth global membership body, where he held the CEO role for nearly 10 years. Initially as the IFoA’s Interim CEO Derek steered the organisation through a period of rapid and substantial change, including a fundamental review and refocus of its strategy. Derek led the IFoA in delivering innovations in qualifications, publications, global member services and ways of engaging key stakeholders to build the scale, profile and influence of the organisation.

Derek has broad leadership experience in a number of interim and permanent roles across the public, private and not-for- profit sectors. His roles have ranged from Chief Operating Officer at the Pension Protection Fund and CFO of Barclays UK Customers and Products to senior positions in the music, food, logistics, outsourcing and technology sectors.

Derek is Senior Independent Non-Executive Director at China Taiping Insurance UK, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. He studied at Imperial College London, graduating with Honours in Chemistry, and undertook PhD research in Mechanical Engineering.

On a personal level, Derek has been married to Tessa for 27 years and has two children, Tom (23) and Amy (21). Derek is a keen golfer, chef and cyclist – somehow managing to overlook that a love of food is not entirely consistent with the physique needed for success on two wheels.

 

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IPSE Senior Leadership Team

IPSE Senior Leadership Team

Meet the team

IPSE Senior Leadership Team

Derek Cribb

Interim CEO

Derek Cribb joins IPSE as interim CEO from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), now a fast growth global membership body, where he held the CEO role for nearly 10 years. Initially as the IFoA’s Interim CEO Derek steered the organisation through a period of rapid and substantial change, including a fundamental review and refocus of its strategy. Derek led the IFoA in delivering innovations in qualifications, publications, global member services and ways of engaging key stakeholders to build the scale, profile and influence of the organisation.

Derek has broad leadership experience in a number of interim and permanent roles across the public, private and not-for- profit sectors. His roles have ranged from Chief Operating Officer at the Pension Protection Fund and CFO of Barclays UK Customers and Products to senior positions in the music, food, logistics, outsourcing and technology sectors.

Derek is Senior Independent Non-Executive Director at China Taiping Insurance UK, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. He studied at Imperial College London, graduating with Honours in Chemistry, and undertook PhD research in Mechanical Engineering.

On a personal level, Derek has been married to Tessa for 27 years and has two children, Tom (23) and Amy (21). Derek is a keen golfer, chef and cyclist – somehow managing to overlook that a love of food is not entirely consistent with the physique needed for success on two wheels.

Robbie Fulton

Director of Operations

Robbie has been with IPSE since 2017 after almost 20 years in self-employment covering a variety of roles in digital start-ups and global organisations including Serverside, RNIB, RBS, Gemalto and Banco Halifax Hispania.  His experience in Change and Programme Management plus his recently achieved Open University BSc in Design & Innovation puts him in a good position to help lead the direction of IPSE in this changing world of self employment, freelancing and digital nomads.        

Andy Chamberlain

Director of Policy

Andy is responsible for IPSE’s tax policy and has a special interest in labour market changes, employment status, IR35 and Making Tax Digital. In 2015 he led IPSE’s campaign against proposals to restrict travel and subsistence tax relief for incorporated entities. Andy worked with EY to develop IPSE’s concept for a new corporate form – the Freelancer Limited Company – which would deliver clarity of legal and tax status for the smallest businesses, while also protecting revenue for the Exchequer. He is currently working IPSE’s IR35 in the private sector strategy and the the government’s response to COVID-19

Collette Hearn

Finance Director

A Chartered Accountant with over 20 years' experience in accountancy and finance, Collette Hearn joined IPSE in February 2020. She has held senior finance positions at commercial and not-for-profit organisations, both as an employee and a contractor, and has run an accountancy firm advising and supporting owner-managed businesses. Her background has given her an excellent understanding of the issues professional contractors and the self-employed face. 

 

Collette started her career at the accountancy firm Arthur Andersen before moving onto Credit Rating and Corporate Finance roles at RBS and Lloyds Banking Group. She has a First Class Honours degree in Mathematics. 

 

IPSE Documents

IPSE Documents

IPSE Documents

IPSE Documents

 Financial Statements

IPSE Accounts 2020

 

IPSE Accounts 2019

 

IPSE Accounts 2018

 

IPSE Accounts 2017

 

IPSE Accounts 2016

 

IPSE Accounts 2015

 

 

 


 

Committee Terms of Reference

 

Nomination Committee

 

Audit and Risk

 

IPSE Rules and Articles of Association

Articles_of_Association

 

AGM Minutes

Annual General Meeting 2020 Minutes

 

 

IPSE Members Forum

IPSE Members Forum

The Members’ Forum will bring IPSE and members even closer together making IPSE more democratic and giving us all the opportunity to develop a dynamic and positive dialogue to truly represent and be the voice of the wider membership. Here are your Forum Leaders:

Meet the members

IPSE Members Forum

Andrew Comley

Consultant Naval Architect

Andrew Comley is a Consultant Naval Architect, who runs A Comley Limited a company that provides “Asset Integrity through Neurodiversity”. He became a freelancer in 2008 when offered the opportunity to freelance for one of his previous employers and has been providing an ever-increasing range of services since. These days that encompasses both theoretical and practical engineering, ranging from writing scopes of work for the underwater inspection of offshore floating production units through to designing and building bespoke camera mounts for the quarrying industry. He is a dad, Aspergerian, and suffers chronic pain, so running a micro-business allows him to fit his work around his private life. As a result, he advocates freelancing for the disabled as a way to empower and live independently.

Chris Williams

Co-founder of Getdoddle

Chris is the co-founder of Getdoddle, a project management SaaS business, as well as being a Digital Strategy consultant. Chris also runs Proper LinkedIn Marketing, a niche marketing service. With more than 24,000 followers on LinkedIn, Chris made a name for himself with his straight talking approach to marketing. 

Chris was also a CC member at IPSE.

Faye Dicker

Voiceover artist and founder of Freelance Mum

Faye Dicker; a voiceover artist and founder of Freelance Mum – the award-winning child- friendly networking group. Freelance Mum was born of my own need, being a freelance voiceover artist, trying to juggle motherhood around business. There wasn’t a group that catered for mums like me, so I set one up! They’re brilliantly bonkers. 

When I’m not busy running FM, I’m recording voiceover sessions, from my home studio in Bristol. I can be heard on Leapfrog TV adverts, national campaigns for Matalan and Hurrah for Gin.

I won Freelance Ambassador of the year award in 2018 and Top 100 Inspirational Woman in the West in 2018 and 2019, for my work with Freelance Mum. I love cycling my children to school in my cargo bike and can be found in my ‘free time’ swimming in the local Lido! I’m passionate about supporting mums in business and love chatting about ‘freelance life’.

Frances Varley

Project consultancy and business analysis

I have been freelancing for over 6 years. I provide project consultancy and business analysis services to other businesses, both large and small.

I live with my husband who is also a freelancer in the cycling industry, and we have three (sort of) grown up children all of whom are actually self-employed too! Helping them carve their own niche has helped me get other perspectives on self-employment for young people.

Working on the IPSE forum gives me the opportunity to work with and for other members to ensure the issues we care about are addressed. I am particularly interested in ways in which freelancers can grow their businesses and create new revenue streams. 

Gemma Church

Science and technology journalist

Gemma Church is "the freelance writer who gets tech". Based in Cambridgeshire, she's a specialist science and technology journalist, blogger and copywriter, with degrees in physics and astrophysics. Gemma is also a former software developer and began her writing career 15 years ago with Bluesci, Cambridge University’s science and technology magazine. 

George-Razvan Bodescu

Uber Partner Driver and a founding member of UberENGAGE

My name is George, I'm 36 years old and I come from the magical land of Transylvania, Romania. 

I completed my Bachelor Degree in Textile Sciences and Engineering, in 2006, before leaving Romania for the UK in 2010. In November 2015, I became one of the first Uber Partner Drivers in the South Coast and have been selected as one of the founding members of the UberENGAGE pilot project in the UK.

Before Uber I worked for different companies in the taxi industry as a local town driver in Portsmouth, airport transfers and long-haul chauffeur. 

I enjoy driving and interacting with customers because every journey is unique and special due to the fact that everyone has it Is own little life story. 

Recently, I started to invest more time into my own business, as a chauffeur and launched a new company, GRB Executive Cars. The main profile for the business is airport transfers, private/special events, corporate/business trips, day hire and long hauls. I'm using my expertise and experience over the years, to play a big role in this industry and make a difference when it comes to the odd "taxi trip".

I married my lovely wife in 2015 and we welcomed our little girl in 2016.

IPSE Members Forum

Gianni Frankis

Teacher and former GB International athlete

Gianni Frankis is a former GB International in the 110m hurdles having won medals at World and European levels and breaking age group records along the way. Currently, he is a speaker and workshop facilitator in schools while also running a coaching company with his former coach Tony Jarrett called "110% Beyond Your Limits".

Gianni, with his experience in teaching and professional sport, joins the members forum to give the education sector and athletes and coaches a voice within the self-employed landscape where he feels they are severely underrepresented.

Katy Carlisle

Owner of The Wheel Exists

Katy Carlisle has been freelance since 2013 and runs The Wheel Exists, a Squarespace web design and training business. In 2015 she set up Freelance Folk, a community focused on bringing freelancers together through popup coworking events. She's also co-host of the 99 Problems (but a boss ain't one) podcast. Katy recently moved to Anglesey, achieving a lifelong dream of living by the sea, and now takes advantage of freelancing to go surfing more regularly. She was a finalist in the 2016 IPSE Freelancer of the Year awards and winner of the IPSE Ambassador of the Year award in 2017.

Leah Matthews

Founder of The Virtual Studio

Leah Matthews, founder of The Virtual Studio, is a designer and digital specialist based in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. She specialises in web design, branding and digital implementation services for female founders and works with businesses around the world to up level their marketing and build a cohesive online identity.

As a mum of two, she is an advocate for removing age and parental stigmas within the online community and regularly speaks at events and mentors students and those starting self-employment.

She was recently a finalist for IPSE's 'Young Freelancer of the Year Award' in 2018.

Lolande Onabolu

Business advisor and transformation programme director

Lolade Onabolu is a Mechanical Engineer turned business advisor and transformation programme director and director of Austin Akanni Associates. She has a track record of successfully delivering large and complex change programmes within the central government including NHS England, the Department of Health, Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice, and Home Office. She is experienced in managing a wide variety of partners and stakeholders bringing together teams from different organizations to work towards a common goal – to deliver benefits to the client.

Lolade is married with 4 grown up boys.  In between consulting and family life, she writes and publishes folklores for children and enjoys prancing around the gym with much younger folks!

Melissa Holloway

Freelance medical copywriter

Melissa Holloway is a freelance medical copywriter for healthcare specialist advertising agencies. She is also a marketing and strategy consultant to companies with an interest in diabetes care. A member of IPSE since 2014, Melissa was a Runner-Up in the 2017 Freelancer of the Year Awards. She has supported IPSE’s educational outreach programmes, policy initiatives and press activities. Melissa is also involved with JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity, as well as local organisations in Pimlico, central London, where she lives with her husband and two young children.

Sue Carter

Technology and digital product professional

Sue is an experienced technology and digital product professional, having held senior positions in public, private and not-for-profit organisations. She has provided consultation for leaders in a variety of sectors, including media, public service, health, SaaS and government. She is customer and audience driven, with a constant focus on identifying areas for improving her clients’ businesses and developing their people. With a strong background in publishing and journalism, Sue also advises on communications, story-telling and content sharing. Sue is Co-Chair of Byte Night Wales, which raises money to prevent youth homelessness, and is also a trustee for Early Years Wales.

 

To contact the Members' Forum, please email [email protected]. 

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AGM 2021

AGM 2021

The IPSE 2021 AGM will be held remotely this year, and all members who are eligible to vote will receive a personal email from CES who we are partnering with us to deliver a secure online meeting.  The personal email will contain unique codes to allow advance proxy voting at www.cesvotes.com/ipseagm21, or to confirm attendance at the online AGM on Wednesday 5 May at 17:00.

If you have not received the invitation email, please go to the site above and submit your details for the codes to be generated for you.

The three documents below provide all the information required for the AGM, and are also available on the CES site: