Members voted for Ben Reid from the UK and Dmitry Zubov from Russia to join the board. The two winners were chosen from a pool of five candidates at the General Assembly in Quebec, prior to the International Summit of Cooperatives. A sixth candidate, Kim Cu Vo, nominated by Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, withdrew his participation in the process.
As the voting started IFFCO delegate Tarun Bhargava tweeted “Voting for Good governance @icacoop Elections Quebec”.
Mr Reid, who was nominated by Co-operatives UK and received 394 votes, is currently chief executive of Midcounties Co-operative, which employs over 9,000 staff and an annual turnover of over £1bn. Under Mr Reid’s leadership, the society has moved into the childcare, travel, health and energy markets.
After the vote, he told delegates: “I am stunned, I cannot think of a higher accolade for someone who has been in the movement for 34 years than being a member of the global board. I want to come along and work in the interests of all the members to take this great movement forward.”
Dmitry Zubov, who was not at the meeting, but received 170 votes, was nominated by the Central Union of Consumer Societies of the Russian Federation (Centrosojuz), of which he is currently chair. He has a PhD in scientific works in the field of economy and he created and managed the Soviet-Union Center of youth housing co-operatives. He worked as a deputy general director of the Soviet Union Center of Cinema and Television for Youth where he was actively engaged in the promotion of co-operative principles and values among youth.
– By Anthony Murray