Derek Luckhurst Training and Development Director Expand Derek leads on the design and delivery of IPA’s training services. Derek has worked with organisations from all sectors and of all sizes, helping them improve employee relations and engagement, including the development of robust mechanisms for hearing employee voice and providing training and mentoring for employee representatives and managers. Derek introduced the option-based consultation model for the effective involvement of the representatives of employees - union or non-union - in identifying opinions and influencing the decision making process at a strategic level within organisations. Described by Keith Sisson, Emeritus Professor of Industrial Relations at Warwick Business School as a ‘landmark in UK industrial relations’. Derek leads the IPA’s influential IPA Representatives' Hub and, with them, developed the “15 Strategic Questions” that have proved an essential tool for representatives and senior managers alike. He is also the author of The 5 Key Steps to Employee Engagement, which explores the unique role employee representatives can play in developing an engaged workforce. Derek also works with organisations to support the development of closer working relations between management and trade unions including the facilitation of partnership agreements. He has designed and delivered workshops and tools for managers and trade union representatives. He is a regular speaker for Business Forums International where he presents a Negotiation Skills Masterclass. He is the author of “Partnership Working: a practioner's guide” Previously a trade union national secretary, Derek was instrumental in the establishment of a breakthrough partnership agreement at Legal & General. He was a key player in developing a framework for flexible working in Legal & General and was responsible for the training of both managers and union representatives in how the concept should work in practice. A new anti-harassment and bullying procedure was established during his term of office together with improved grievance and disciplinary processes. Contact Derek at: [email protected]
Nita Clarke OBE Nita Clarke OBE IPA Director Expand Director of the IPA since January 2008, Nita has a long career in the trade union and labour movement. She joined COHSE from university in 1976, working for the health union until 1983; after seven years at the GLC/ILEA including four year’s as Ken Livingstone’s press officer she rejoined COHSE in 1992 and was merged into UNISON the following year. She was press officer and then political officer for UNISON until January 2001 when she joined Downing Street as Tony Blair’s assistant political secretary with responsibility for trade union liaison. At No 10 Nita was directly involved in establishing important social partnership developments including the transposition of the Information and Consultation Directive, the Woman at Work Commission, the commissions looking at the right to request part-time working, the Turner Pensions Commission and many others. She was instrumental in securing government support for the groundbreaking two-tier workforce deal and the Cabinet Office guidance on the treatment of staff in contracting; she was also one of the prime movers behind the establishment of the Public Services Forum, bringing together public sector unions and employers and was one of the government nominated members of the PSF. She was particularly involved in the development of the Drive for Change toolkit, which embodies the principles of partnership working. She also ensured that proposal for a Compact, further equalising the treatment of directly and indirectly employed staff, was included in the Warwick Agreement of 2004, and worked on its implementation right up to leaving No 10 in June 2007. She was a strong supporter of a social partnership approach to delivering change and reform in public services and supported successive secretaries of state in education and health in developing partnership agreements. She has an in-depth understanding of the positive role that modern unions and representatives can have in the workplace and a very wide knowledge of the trade union movement as well as business needs. She has close working links with the TUC and many individual unions as well as the CBI, EEF, Chemical Industries Association and many individual companies Nita’s report on relations between trade unions and the voluntary sector for the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations was launched in June 2008. She was vice-chair of the government commissioned MacLeod Review of employee engagement and co-author of the widely praised report Engaging for Success published in July 2009. She is much in demand as a motivational speaker on employee engagement and positive employee relations. She has a BA in history and politics and an MA in labour history from Warwick University. She was a founder board member of the New Opportunities Fund and is the author of London for Beginners (Writers and Readers Press). Contact Nita: » [email protected]
Sarah Dawson Business Development Manager Expand Sarah joined the IPA in 1997 and leads on the IPA’s election services, working with client organisations to develop online and postal nomination and voting solutions for the election of employee representative bodies, member nominated pension fund trustees, and supplier forums. She has worked with major clients to support the development of effective employee voice mechanisms, including B&Q, Pfizer, Guardian Media Group and SopraSteria. Sarah also acts as project manager for major and complex consultancy and research projects and is the IPA's Quality Manager and Data Protection Manager. Contact Sarah: » [email protected]
Lorraine Modeste Office Manager Expand Lorraine Modeste is responsible for managing the day to day running of the office and looking after the IPA's members. She also provides administrative support for the events programme and project management for research and consultancy projects. Lorraine also provides executive support to the Director and the IPA Executive Committee. Contact Lorraine: » [email protected]
Mandy Caruana Digital Marketing Lead Expand Mandy is the Digital Marketing Lead at the IPA. She is involved with increasing brand awareness and enhancing the IPA's reputation as thought leader in the world of work. Mandy has previously worked at various not for profit membership organisations in events and marketing roles. Contact Mandy: » [email protected]