BOARD AND COUNCIL MEETING September 2011

Transcription

1 BOARD AND COUNCIL MEETING September 2011 COUNCIL B - AGENDA ITEM 6 Special Interest Groups: Progress Report Emma Yeats, Special Interest Groups Executive

2 DATA POINTS (at ) Business Families Steering Committee: 27 members Chair: Chris Lintott, Penningtons Solicitors LLP Deputy Chairs: Ian MacDonald, Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP Jon Sutton, Dixon Wilson Chartered Accountants Cross-Border Estates Steering Committee: 16 members Chair: Edward Reed, Macfarlanes LLP Secretary: Ian Bradshaw, Goodman Derrick LLP Mental Capacity Steering Committee: 6 members Chair: Julia Abrey, Withers LLP Philanthropy Advisors Steering Committee: 10 members Chair: Clive Cutbill, Withers LLP Deputy Chair: Keith Johnston, STEP Worldwide Charities UK not presently managed by STEP Worldwide SIGs Executive but managed externally Annual membership fee: Steering Committee: 8 members Chair: Fiona Wilson, Hempsons Solicitors Deputy Chair: Mark Herbert, Chambers of Mr Henry Harrod Secretary: Ceris Gardner, Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP Treasurer: Lucy Duncan, Arnold Hill & Co Membership Applications: Samantha Ross, Forbes VA Website Manager: Mark Giddens, UHY Hacker Young LLP Events Co-ordinator: Suzanne Reisman, Law Offices of Suzanne M Reisman Press Liaison Manager: Thomas Dumont, Radcliffe Chambers Sydney Charities not presently managed by STEP Worldwide SIGs Executive but managed externally Steering Committee: 3 members Chair: Marlene MacFarlane, Foundations Advisory & Management Services Group Officers: John Balazs, Balazs Lazanas & Welch LLP Anne Robinson, Prolegis Lawyers Mediation not presently managed by STEP Worldwide SIGs Executive but managed externally Chair: Toby Graham, Farrer & Co LLP Members: 546 Top 3 Member Countries: UK (310), Canada (59), Switzerland (22) Membership in: 28 countries Members: 314 Top 3 Member Countries: UK (181), Switzerland (32), Canada (13) Membership in: 29 countries Members: 327 Top 3 Member Countries: UK (288), Australia (15), Ireland (6) Membership in: 15 countries Members: 285 Top 3 Member Countries: UK (202), Canada (8), USA, Jersey (7), Membership in: 21 countries Members: 14** Top Member Country UK (9) Membership in: 5 countries ** Please note that membership list is held and managed by secretariat and Salesforce data points may not reflect current figures Members: 7** Top Member Country Hong Kong (3) Membership in: 4 countries Members: 12** Top Member Country UK (9) Membership in: 4 countries

3 ACTIVITY SUMMARY / PROGRESS UPDATE Overall Strategy With a dedicated member of STEP Worldwide staff now in seat, STEP aim to consolidate and grow the Special Interest Group (SIG) offering, adding value to the existing society membership package and encouraging new members to join in light of visible activities and networks of expertise that can prove useful to their day-to-day. In building out the current SIG offering and putting structures in place to support this, STEP plans to focus initially on developing the offering for the Business Families, Cross-Border Estates, Mental Capacity and Philanthropy Advisors groups. Once this core is successfully off-the-ground, the dedicated SIG Executive will look to grow other existing groups and new offerings. To realise the society s ambitions for SIGs it is necessary: - that STEP office establishes a good working relationship and line of communication with the interest groups steering committees and members - for individual groups to define their member offering and the activities and services they each plan to offer - that a membership process is established - that administrative and governance processes are in place - that the SIGs are well marketed and clarity is given to members over the membership offering, process for joining, and who their go-to contact is - that the needs of the membership are identified and impact on SIG strategy and planning

4 Progress to Date (June-August 2011) GENERAL Management and Administration - Dedicated staff resource (SIGs Executive, Emma Yeats) in place as of 1 st June SIG Executive has been inducted on the 4 core SIGs and has met with 3 out of 4 of them for a steering committee meeting. - Electronic filing system for all SIG related documents set-up - An internal calendar of key SIG activities set up and communicated monthly to staff for transparency - Monthly reporting to management set up to enable progress tracking and strategy planning Structural Formalities - Process for implementing a set of terms and advisory guidelines for SIG governance and operations underway: guidelines drafted and awaiting review from key persons **greater detail provided in document sub-note** - AGMs for all SIGs scheduled for 2 December Financial process in place for capturing income and expenditure. Ownership of SIG-related funds from past events allocated for use in future endeavours or as contingency fund Marketing - SIGs as a whole have just undergone a branding exercise and now have a signature brand which will be developed into all SIG related materials - Entries about SIG activities have started to go in membership newsletters Web - SIG webpages given user-friendly, easily memorable urls - Development of a STEP Wiki underway with SIG specific portals - LinkedIn e-forums have been set up with plans for a more formal offering to follow in 2012 Member Management - Automated reports set up on CRM system (Salesforce) to enable reporting and tracking of key SIG trends and data points - Steering committee and membership lists updated so current - Centralised mailbox and contact address implemented (SIGs@step.org). All old s (e.g. cbeg@step.org) re-routed to SIGs inbox, which is managed by SIGs Executive Strategy - Action plans for remainder of 2011 have been agreed for 3 out of 4 of the groups with activity underway to bring plans to fruition

5 INDIVIDUAL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS Business Families - Steering Committee: Schedule of regular meetings in place - Newsletter: Quarterly schedule in place - Event Scheduling: 20 October 2011 The Retiring Generation (½ day seminar) 2 December 2011 Cross-cultural Perspectives (½ day conference) - Membership Expansion: 7 September call scheduled to discuss pilot of a STEP Caribbean Business Families Group - Education: STEP certificate in Advising Family Businesses and Family Offices being launched in September - Publishing: 2 nd Family Business book underway in conjunction with Globe Publishing on the Family Office. Due for publication early Research: Research collaboration agreed with Institute for Family Business (IFB) exploring the differing views of professional advisors and family business owners on the methodology of running a family business. To commence in November 2011 for summer 2012 completion and presentation at Family Business Network (FBN) International Summit Meeting, November 2012 in London - External Collaborations: Family Firms Institute (FFI) Successful joint events on topic of Family Wealth Advising held in London and Geneva in June. Made a small profit. Coutts & Co Partner and contributor to the new Family Business Knowledge Exchange Web Platform Cross-Border Estates (C-BEG) - Steering Committee: Schedule of regular meetings in place - Event Scheduling: 18 October 2011 USA (title TBC) (½ day seminar) 2 December 2011 Topic TBC (½ day conference) - Web Resources: C-BEG instrumental in building and design of resource. Group will be the first to have access to the live site in Autumn and have already got content on the site - Publishing: Contributing to a book on Will Disputes in collaboration with Johansson Solicitors Mental Capacity - Steering Committee: Schedule of regular meetings in place - Event Scheduling: 2 December 2011 The Seven Ages of Incapacity (½ day conference) - Strategy Planning: Survey those with an expressed interest in Mental Capacity to provide feedback being used to formulate group s offering - Web Resources: Developing a webpage and jurisdictional one-pager resources - Policy Consultation: Collective SIG response to policy proposals Response to HMRC Consultation - 'Incapacitated Persons' - complete Consultation on the use of Authorised Officers in the Court of Protection underway Consultation on abolition of Public Guardian Board underway Philanthropy Advisors - Steering Committee: Schedule of regular meetings in place - Events:

6 European Association for Philanthropy and Giving (EAPG): Agreement has been signed with EAPG to hold a joint programme of events moving forward to strengthen the offering to the members of both organisations, without detriment to either organisation. The agreement will continue three years subject to review after the first year. The format and type of event will be discussed and agreed by a joint programming committee, but STEP will pay EAPG for event management and delivery services. Any profit from events will be split 50:50. Programme for year one will comprise of 5 events. Event Scheduling: 19 October (title TBC) (½ day seminar) -with EAPG 2 December 2011 Topic TBC (½ day conference) 25 January with EAPG 22 March with EAPG 18 July with EAPG 19 September with EAPG - External Collaborations: Philanthropy UK - Partner and contributor to the Giving Advice website. Currently partnering on a Directory of Philanthropy Advisors to be launched in November Community Foundation Network (CFN) and Time to Give initiative September meeting scheduled to discuss possible areas of collaboration. Time to Give is a fellowship for philanthropists involving them in donor networking, education and joint-funding initiatives for community foundations. 8 donor-support centres will be created across the country to support local philanthropic initiatives. IN DEVELOPMENT Russia Chair: Valery Zaikin, RBC Wealth Management Deputy Chairs: Jeremy Mann, Lancaster Trustees Eduard Novoselov, PricewaterhouseCoopers Progress: - Launch committee meeting held on 4 August London launch event tentatively pencilled to be held on 23 November and hosted by Baker & McKenzie Family Office Progress: Following member demand, STEP is exploring the possibilities of offering its members support in this field. It has therefore been decided to proceed with a pilot event in the form of a workshop/roundtable considering the definition of a family office and where such an offering should go. This event is scheduled for 8 th December 2011 in Zurich.

7 To Come: GENERAL Management and Administration - Establishing structure for SIGs Exec role: On-going, documented task ownership and time allocation across SIGs (for long-term succession planning, knowledge legacy and contingency planning) Structural Formalities - Governance guidelines to be finalised, agreed by the board, and implemented for 2 December AGM of the SIGs Marketing - SIG brand identity to be implemented and unified on all e-communications, printed literature and webpages by December Global marketing campaign for SIGs and membership offering Q Web - Current SIG webpages to be overhauled by December STEP Wiki to be launched to all SIGs by November STEP hosted e-forums to replace LinkedIn e-forums by July 2012 Member Management - SIG registration process to be implemented by December Recruitment drive to coincide with large-scale marketing campaign Q SIG Dashboard to be created to provide up-to-the minute, at-a-glance statistics on SIG membership levels and membership distribution by October 2011 Strategy - First set of annual business plans for each SIG to be presented to the Board in January 2012

8 **SUB-NOTE** Special Interest Groups - Terms of Reference These terms and guidelines intend to provide both rule and advisory, and be a quick and easy reference on all matters related to the running, governance and operation of Special Interest Groups (SIGs). These guidelines will not be inflexible but departures from them will have to be agreed in advance by the STEP Worldwide office in consultation with the Board. Guidelines will address: Creation of a Special Interest Group - Purpose and process Authority, Reporting and Review Steering Committee - Composition requirements - Operation and duties - Meeting Frequency and Attendance Requirements - Committee Membership and Election Process SIG Membership Terms Activity Detail - Activity responsibilities and code of conduct Funding and Financial Responsibility It is proposed that guidelines come into force January 2012, with first steering committee elections to be held in advance of December 2012 AGM. Proposed Implementation Timetable Monday 12 th September Tuesday 13 th September - Friday 7 th October Draft guidelines compiled by Director of Governance & Professional Standards, SIGs Executive, Membership Manager and Policy & Communications Executive and ready for review Draft guidelines presented to four core SIGs at their next steering committee meetings for toplevel feedback

9 W/C 10 th October W/C 17 th October End of November Friday 2 December 2011 By 31 st January 2012 Mid September 2012 Mid October 2012 End of October 2012 Mid November 2012 End of November 2012 Early December 2012 Director of Governance & Professional Standards, and SIGs Executive finalise draft guidelines Proposed guidelines sent to Board for approval Guidelines finalised and signed-off Presentation of guidelines to steering committee and members at annual general meeting Individual SIGs have presented 2012 business plans to the Board/relevant reporting arrangement Guidelines published in annual STEP Council handbook Upcoming election dates and request for candidate submissions announced. Deadline for candidate applications. Election committee meet to review and agree upon final candidates. Candidates invited to stand for election notified. Members of the relevant special interest group notified of upcoming election and provided with details of candidates running. Online voting available to special interest group members for a period of two weeks. Results announced. New committee sworn in at the AGM.