Six Postmasters contesting first ever election to become Post Office Board Directors announced

• Two serving Postmasters will be appointed to Post Office Board as Non-Executive Directors (NEDs)
• Postmasters on the Board builds on Chief Executive’s determination to reset relationship with Postmasters
• Electorate, made up of around 8,000 serving Postmasters and multiple partners, will be able to vote for up to two candidates they want elected in process overseen independently by Civica Elections Services
• Voting opens on Monday 22 March with each candidate entitled to have a video statement on dedicated microsite setting out why they are standing for election
• New NEDs to be confirmed for the new financial year and will both have three-year terms on the Board.

Six serving Postmasters contesting the first ever election to become a Non-Executive Director on the Post Office Board have been announced today (10 March).

Voting will open at 9.30am on Monday 22 March and run until 9.30am, Monday 12 April. The electorate, made up of around 8,000 serving Postmasters as well as multiple partners, will be able to select up to two candidates. The election process is being overseen independently by Civica Elections Services.

The appointments are a key milestone in the sustained re-set of the relationship between Post Office and Postmasters that places them front and centre of the business.

The six serving Postmasters contesting the election are:

• Lee Dearn, Postmaster for Sydenham, Belfast, County Antrim
• Mukhtar Goraya, operates two Post Offices (New Eltham, London and Rosherville, Kent)
  
• Saf Ismail, operates six Post Offices (five in Lancashire – Blackpool Road, Bolton, Heywood, New Hall Lane, Plungington Road) and Farnworth, Greater Manchester
  
• Elliot Jacobs, operates seven Post Offices (five in London – Camden, Crouch End, East Finchley, Muswell Hill, Stoke Newington) and Hertford and Potters Bar in Hertfordshire
  
• Jasbir Parmar, Postmaster for Kempston, Bedfordshire
  
• Sarabjeet Soar, Postmaster for Styvechale, Warwickshire
  

Nick Read, Chief Executive of the Post Office, said:

“Having two serving Postmasters on our Board sends the clearest signal yet of our determination to ensure Postmasters really are at the heart of our business. I am encouraged by the calibre of the six highly qualified candidates and look forward to an open and robust campaign over the three-week election period.

“To sit on the Board of any company carries great responsibility, a responsibility I know our Postmasters will be well placed to fulfil. I have been encouraged by the interest from Postmasters in applying and look forward to working with our two new Non-Executive Directors.”

Key to the success of these appointments is the governance put in place to ensure a transparent and independent selection process. Initial applications were scrutinised by independent recruitment specialists Green Park. Twelve candidates were put forward for interview to an independent panel comprising leading industry figures James Lowman, CEO, Association of Convenience Stores; Shirine Khoury-Haq, CFO at the Co-op Group; and Jean Church MBE, Council Member at the Institute of Directors. The panel shortlisted the final six candidates.

Election process

• A dedicated microsite featuring video messages from the six candidates setting out why they should be elected will go live on Friday 19 March for Postmasters to familiarise themselves with the candidates before voting opens.
• The election will open at 9.30am Monday 22 March and votes will be valid until 9.30am, Monday 12 April.
• The electorate is made up of around 8,000 serving Postmasters as well as multiple partners. Serving Postmasters who are eligible to vote will be sent a unique link which they will input on the dedicated microsite where they can cast their vote.
• Each Postmaster is able to vote for up to two candidates to be elected by marking a ‘X’ by the name of two candidates they want to see elected. They can vote for only one candidate if they choose to.
• All six candidates have signed up to a campaign Code of Conduct.
• The election is overseen by Civica Elections Services who will count the number of valid votes cast for each candidate.
• The two candidates with the most votes will be put forward for approval by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy following confirmation that the nominations committee of the Board are also satisfied with the candidates.
• Post Office will announce the two successful Postmaster Non-Executive Directors at the earliest opportunity following that approval.

Induction and training:

In keeping with the responsibilities Non-Executive Directors have in any business, the role requires balancing the interests of all customers and stakeholders (Postmasters), the business (Post Office Ltd) and the shareholder (UK Government) in promoting the interests of the company as a whole. The Postmasters appointed to the role will receive an extensive induction and training programme, covering the corporate and legal aspects of fulfilling the duties of a Non-Executive Director.

The successful Postmaster NEDs will formerly join the Board following approval by the Secretary of State and their induction process.