Dear Tim
Congratulations on your new role. And all the best!
Michael
____________
Michael Maggs
Chair, Wikimedia UK
On 26 May 2014, at 13:38, Tim Moritz Hector <tim-moritz.hector(a)wikimedia.de> wrote:
Hi all,
yesterday, Wikimedia Deutschland’s 14th General Assembly was held in Frankfurt am Main.
In addition to the presentation of the strategic planning and several amendments to the
articles of the association’s bylaws, the agenda included among other things reports of
the Executive Director, the Supervisory Board and volunteer auditing committee. Of course,
the transition process and the succession of Pavel Richter announced this week were widely
discussed.
We are a young association and the change in the position of Executive Director, which
has been shaped by Pavel for many years, is a new experience for all of us. Over the
coming months, the process of succession is going to entail a lot of work and Pavel will
be a part of it. Obviously, first of all we have to mutually deliberate on the procedure
and the specific schedule – a process in which we are going to include as many people as
possible and whose opinions we are going to take very seriously. We will report on any
concrete actions as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, Nikolas Becker, who held the Chairman position of the Supervisory Board
for the past six months, will not take an active part in the transition process. He
resigned yesterday. As a result, we gathered as the supervisory board on this Sunday in
order to elect a new Chair. I am glad that my Board colleagues expressed their confidence
in me and as of now entrusted me with the presidency of the supervisory board. I am well
aware of the immense responsibility and, with a clear focus on the future, accepted it
yesterday.
I want to thank Nikolas for everything he has accomplished over the past years – not only
as Chair but also as a member of the Supervisory Board and for the association in general.
In the name of the Supervisory Board we thanked him yesterday in Frankfurt.
As usual, there will also be a protocol for this general meeting of members. I do not
want to anticipate the minutes, as long as they are being completed. Yet, I would like to
give a short personal overview at this point:
There were six requests for amendments to articles of the association’s bylaws (a seventh
has been withdrawn). All six of them were accepted with clear majorities. The Supervisory
Board’s term of office was extended from one to two years. A leave of absence from the
Supervisory Board is now possible, as is a lump-sum for refunding of honorary expenses
according to German customs. Furthermore, it was formally clarified that members of the
Supervisory Board must also be members of the association. In the future, it will be much
easier to terminate supporting memberships. And finally: The wording regarding the quorum
to hold an exceptional general assembly has been changed from “members” to “active
members”. Besides the amendments to articles of the association, the general assembly
confirmed the Supervisory Board’s structure according to departments.
For more details to all these and further points I want to refer to the minutes mentioned
above, which are to be published soon.
I am convinced of Wikimedia Deutschland being in a stable position. It is up to us to
shape our association over the coming years together. This involves self criticism, or at
least the realization that a neutral point of view is helpful in pretty much all
circumstances in life. That is why I am glad that the general meeting approved the
supervisory board’s request and that we will now start an external governance review to
gather different expertise and new insight.
Within Wikipedia, this is common practise and a strength that helps Wikipedia get better.
In my opinion, the same applies to Wikimedia Deutschland: our willingness to improve is
our strength.
Best regards,
Tim
--
Tim Moritz Hector
Chair of the board
Wikimedia Deutschland e. V.
+49 (0)160 - 36 16 234
tim-moritz.hector(a)wikimedia.de
--------------------
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Tel.: +49 (0)30 - 219 158 260
http://www.wikimedia.de
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