ABSW AGM elects new board members

ABSW members attending the Annual General Meeting (AGM) ratified the nominations for the six posts open this year: treasurer, secretary, European representative, and three general board members. The meeting was held on April 22, 2025, at The Francis Crick Institute.

Seven nominees ran for the six posts available, with one nominee deemed invalid by the tellers, Andy Coghlan and William Cullerne Bown, who oversee the election process on behalf of the membership. 

JV Chamary, the treasurer, and Deborah Cohen, the secretary, will continue in the Executive Directors’ team. Eva Amsen is the new European representative. Ben Deighton, Aisling Irwin and Sarah Wild were confirmed as board members. The new board members will take office at the next board meeting. The AGM thanked retiring members, Benjamin Plackett and Tom Whipple.

The AGM also thanked Pete Wrobel and Mike Kenward, who are stepping down this year after many years of dedicated service as the association’s honorary auditors. Their contributions have been invaluable in ensuring transparency and good governance within the ABSW. Wendy Grossman and Martin Ince were now elected to assume this role.

A paper summarising the arguments for and against paying the board members for ABSW-related activities was presented to the AGM, and the topic was open for discussion. The ABSW Board was tasked with creating a working group to develop a proposal on paying board members, including the specifics discussed, which will then be put before the membership.