As IPSE continues to be the voice of the self-employed, the role of the Board is crucial in setting strategy, providing leadership and guidance to the organisation, and overseeing how we are run.
After a very competitive election and, separately, the conclusion of the appointment process by the board for specialist skills and expertise, the IPSE board is delighted to welcome two new Directors.
We take a closer look at the two new Directors below, offering a glimpse into their careers and outlining the knowledge and skills that they will be bringing to the IPSE board.
Following the conclusion of the IPSE Director election in January, the board are pleased to announce the election of Hamish John Stewart as an elected non-executive director.
Having been an IPSE member for over three years, Hamish brings a wealth of accounting and diverse board- level experience to the IPSE board. As a graduate economist and chartered accountant, Hamish has worked across projects in Europe and Africa and in sectors as varied as film and TV and financial services to humanitarian aid and climate action.
Hamish has worked in various roles within Finance such as Finance Director, Auditor, Project Finance Manager, International Financial Controller and CEO before becoming a freelance production accountant in the Film and TV industry – specialising in IR35, tax, reporting and advising freelance crew.
With a background in accountancy and actively advising clients how to navigate the IR35 rules, Hamish hopes to bring this contractor experience and his understanding of financial risk and financial reporting to the IPSE board.
Hamish hopes that IPSE will be able to draw on his vast array of professional contacts across multiple sectors to ultimately grow the membership and the influence of the organisation.
After conducting an internal review of the skillset and experience desired on the IPSE board, the board are pleased to announce the appointment of Rosie Halfhead as an appointed non-executive director. There were over two-hundred applicants for the role, demonstrating the high level of interest in IPSE from business leaders.
Rosie brings significant experience from the consulting, advisory, not-for-profit and corporate sectors across a range of industries. She has a deep understanding of communication, reputational risk management, purpose-led strategy development and stakeholder engagement.
Her multi-decade corporate career included top leadership roles in global financial technology, pan-European market research and pan-Asian professional services.
She has founded and run brand and communications consulting businesses in Belgium, Hong Kong and the UK. Her clients have come from a wide range of industries and sectors including banking, manufacturing, technology services, fintech, property development, data analytics, trade associations, campaigning organisations and executive coaching.
She returned to the UK in 2017 and now works with start-ups, independent professionals and SMEs from multiple sectors.
Rosie’s board experience includes non-executive Director of Positive Money, a not-for-profit think tank and campaigning organisation working to reimagine money and banking systems for the wellbeing of people, communities and the planet; non-executive Director of a newly formed national sports governing body British Lacrosse; and advisory board member of Echo, a global communications research company.
She has a strong belief in shared prosperity and in how business (no matter how big or small) has a critical role to play in serving society through inclusive, sustainable and consciously responsible leadership. Her membership of both Chapter Zero and NEDonBoard offer the means to keep abreast of best practice for boards and governance in these areas.
Rosie hopes that the IPSE board will benefit from her significant consulting, executive and board-level experience in supporting the organization and its members in their own ambitions for growth and success.
