The Telework Association is a company limited by guarantee. This structure is a not-for-profit company and limits the liability of members. Membership is open to individuals and companies. Individual members have full voting rights. A board is elected by the membership to ensure that the strategy and operation of the Association reflects the needs of the membership. The current diirectors of the Telework Association are:
Brian Higton |
Brian Higton is a strong
advocate of ‘flexible working’ practices. He believes
that when properly applied, policies which give personnel
more choice as to their work location and working times
can significantly reduce operating costs for businesses,
improve employee satisfaction, benefit the environment
and strengthen local communities. In addition to his responsibilities as Chairman of the Telework Association, Brian Higton is Business Development Director of Cygnet Solutions Ltd., an IT services company with considerable experience in helping organisations operate with a ‘distributed workforce’. Brian is a frequent speaker on the commercial, technical, legal and human issues relating to the distributed workforce and a regular contributor to the business and technical press. Website: www.cygnets.co.uk Email: chairman@telework.org.uk |
Simon Brookes |
Simon has been involved in the Telecottage and Teleworker Movement since 1989, setting up the Moorlands Telecottage in NE Staffordshire in 1989, which is still operational. Currently works as Divisional Manager for Staffordshire Youth Service and runs a traditional farming business (remotely) in Devon, telworking in respect of both occupations as an when necessary. As an interest Simon is actively involved in International Cave Exploration (mainly in South East Asia) with all expeditions being co-ordinated remotely using IT. |
 Ashley Dobbs |
In 2000 Ashley Dobbs received the Royal Town Planning Institute Award for Innovative Sustainable Development for building the first televillage, “a unique and well-designed housing development in a new village form”, which is in Crickhowell, Wales. Ashley was an early disciple of teleworking in the 1980s and the founder chairman of the Telework Association. His work in the field of teleworking continues in his believe that “technology will make it increasingly easy for people to work remotely but how we telework needs to take account of the fact that people need people”. |
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Roy Guthrie |
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Malcolm Newdick |
After gaining his Doctorate in Biology Malcolm’s first IT jobs were as a computer programmer and tutor in Oxford University. In 1987 Malcolm set up his own IT company which he ran for seven years. He left to work with Save the Children Fund as IT Adviser to the Mozambique Ministry of Health. On his return he worked as a freelance IT consultant and founded Riverbank in 1997. Malcolm was Company Secretary for the Cochrane Collaboration (www.cochrane.org) from 2001 to 2003, and director of its trading company. |
Chris Ridgewell |
Chris is a founder member of The Telework Association and was elected to the Board in 1998. He is Chair of the national carers charity The NCNT and a Director of WiseWork Limited, a management consultancy specialising in helping employers to adopt more flexible working practices and work-life balance programmes. He is also a founder member of The Future Work Forum at Henley Management College. |
The Association was founded in 1993 and from then until 2006 Alan Denbigh has been the Executive Director, responsible for the day to day running of the Association. He has now moved on to new challenges, although he retains an advisory role, and Shirley Borrett has been appointed as Development Director to take over responsibility for providing member services and managing the Association's future role in the flexible working community.
In the Spring of 2006 the Association entered into a collaboration with the Future Work Forum at Henley Management College. Both organisations produce publications, run events and provide advice to their members on the implementation of new working practices, particularly remote working. By collaborating on the provision of these services they will be able to provide improved benefits for the members of both organisations. Peter Thomson, Director of the Forum, will be working with Shirley to enhance the services offered to members and will contribute material from the Forum to the bi-monthly magazine.
Alan Denbigh |
From its early funding by BT as a two-year teleworking project, Alan, who has a background in computer software, steered the development of the Telecottage Association, and of the telecottage movement more generally. The name change to ‘telework’ reflected the changed emphasis and Alan has continued to promote teleworking and to be involved in a number of related projects over the years. He has now moved on to become part of the research staff at the University of Exeter. Email Alan |
Shirley Borrett |
Shirley has been in the flexible working field since she was with Digital in the 1980s when they were pioneers of teleworking. She set up and ran Dexodus for ex-DEC employees and also a special interest group for the CIPD. Recently she has worked with the Future Work Forum at Henley Management College writing proceedings of conferences and working on research programmes. Shirley also has experience of remote learning, having gained her MBA from the Open University and written distance learning material for corporate clients. Her e xperience in running membership organisations, her knowledge of flexible working practices and her strengths in data and website management means Shirley brings a unique set of skills to her new role of Development Director at The Telework Association. Email Shirley |
Peter Thomson |
Peter is Director of the
Future Work Forum at Henley Management College which
he founded in 1992. Based on the research carried out
by the Forum and by collecting expert views from over
200 speakers at Henley, Peter has acquired a unique view
on the Future of Work and how it impacts individuals,
organisations and the management of people. Prior to setting up the Forum, Peter was the Personnel Director for Digital at the time when the company pioneered teleworking and other working patterns. He has also been Vice-Chairman of the DTI Telework Special Interest Group, a member of the Flexible Working Magazine Editorial Board and organiser of the Telework World Conference for five years. Peter is a Fellow of the CIPD and a past Branch Chairman and speaks at many conferences on the Future of Work and related topics. He is also a director of WiseWork Limited. Email Peter |