Meet the Trustees
Tony Vardy chairs the Board of Trustees of CB Plus.
He has introduced our new monthly feature in the Newsletter, profiling each Trustee in turn.
This month’s conversation is between the Chief Executive of CB Plus, Julie Pal and Tony himself in our ongoing series, Meet the CB Plus Trustees. To read more trustee blogs, visit CB Plus News.
Introductions
Julie Pal (JP): Thanks for introducing this feature, Tony. It’s great to give our Trustees a little more visibility. And now, it’s your turn to be interviewed! Can you start by telling us more about your work and family life outside CB Plus?
Tony Vardy (TV): Thanks Julie, and before I start to reply, can I say that I am hugely proud of our outstanding group of Trustees and one reason we have been able to attract these individuals is the first class reputation of the professional team you lead at CB Plus, and your own personal standing in the community.
Building on my professional career in telecoms (mainly focusing on strategy and finance) and then running international executive recruitment companies, I’m still active as an adviser to several businesses. I have also helped a number of non-profit organisations with their top-level recruitment needs, usually on a pro bono basis. My wife and I have an ever-growing family, with three married offspring and now eight grandchildren ranging from 3 months to 16 years! Fortunately, we see them all regularly and take our share (my wife in particular) of grandparent duties.
When I can, I play some golf (badly) and go to the gym. And I enjoy watching good television programmes, where Britain remains a world leader in the best quality productions.
Becoming A Trustee
JP: How did you become a Trustee with CB Plus?
TV: As soon as I stepped down from my last full-time corporate role in 2013, a good friend of mine called Sheila Burgoyne who was then a Trustee of Community Barnet herself, persuaded me to join the Board. This was soon after you, Julie, became Chief Executive, and I could immediately see the potential of the organisation to play a crucial role in helping to deliver great services to our community, so I was delighted to become a Trustee.
Current Role
JP: What is your current role as a Trustee?
TV: Within my first year, then-Chairman Geoff Salmon had to step down and I was asked to step into the role, jointly with Adam Goldstein who had much more experience in the sector. That first cycle as Co-Chair was a tremendous learning experience for me, trying to bring together the best of my commercial background with the ethos and practices of the charity world. Later on, when Adam took up another Chair role, I started my second cycle as Chair, this time on my own.
My other main contribution is to the Operations & Finance Committee. Chris Cormie does a fantastic job steering that group with the support of you and of the professional finance team within CB Plus. But I am the only qualified accountant in the Trustee group, so feel I can help with budgeting, financial management, and any other formal finance issues that arise.
Trustee Experience
JP: How would you describe your experience as a Trustee – any particularly memorable points?
TV: As I mentioned earlier, I have found the most interesting recurring theme of my experience as a Trustee to be getting the balance right between the business disciplines of the commercial world, and the different demands of the charity sector. One key aspect of planning is ensuring that we remain financially sustainable. This allows CB Plus to continue thriving and delivering vital services to the community.
Planning this is a challenge with the funding pattern of CB Plus, in that we know the costs at the start of each budget year, but the income we expect to receive only becomes firm as the year goes on. But I think we have now reached a good modus operandi, with better understanding on both sides. All this is made possible by the outstanding job you and the team have done, and the management rigor you have introduced. I am very confident about the ongoing strength and sustainability of CB Plus.
Alongside this we have had to look hard at our funding pattern. We realised that relying solely on winning commitments from any one borough left us very vulnerable. I’m delighted that we have expanded our geographical footprint so much further into numerous other London boroughs and have complemented this with our own “traded services”, raising funds directly from helping other charities through our in-house professional team.
I feel CB Plus has travelled a very long way in the past ten years, with a growing sense of confidence and achievement, and we should take real pride in our development.
Future Challenges
JP: What do you see as the biggest challenge for CB Plus from here?
TV: It’s inevitable that the funding for our services will become increasingly squeezed, while at the same time, the needs of the communities we serve will grow. We have the chance to be a trendsetter, leading the way for others to find ways through this challenge. This may mean some changes in the voluntary and community services sector going forward, and we in CB Plus can be a voice for collective learning and improvement, at the local, regional, and even national levels. I’m very excited about the next stage of our journey.
JP: Many thanks Tony for this interview, and for all the time and effort you put into giving support to the team at CB Plus.
Leave A Comment