The Employee Ownership Association appoints new Director of Communications

The Employee Ownership Association (EOA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Samantha Dowling as Director of Communications.

Sam joins us from The Social Investment Business, one of the UKs largest social investors, where she was responsible for policy development and stakeholder relations. Prior to working for TSIB she gained senior level experience in the private, public and third sectors working for Royal Mail Group, ITN and the Home Office. She is also a Trustee of London Funders, the membership organisation of funders and investors in London’s voluntary and community sector and assists a number of charities on a pro-bono basis.

Simon Fowler, Chairman of the Employee Ownership Association said: “This is an exciting time to be working on behalf of co-owned business and I am delighted that we have someone of Sam’s calibre, experience and contact base joining EOA. We are committed to working with the Coalition Government, the business community and social enterprise organisations to highlight the benefits of employee ownership and Sam’s role will be crucial in promoting the growth of employee ownership in the UK.

He continued: “There are fantastic examples across the country of employees in large and small organisations truly engaging in the future of the businesses they work in. We need to bring these to the fore so that people understand the benefits of co-ownership – both for staff well being and for the bottom line.”

Sam said: “I am excited to be joining the EOA within a week of Government appointing its first adviser on employee ownership, and at a time when there is political consensus on the value that co-ownership brings to business.

She continued: “Employee ownership is an underused tool in unlocking growth and developing an enervated, entrepreneurial workplace culture. In the UK and internationally we know that firms that have engaged employees often perform better than other companies. So I’m really looking forward to meeting with members to find out more about how they are innovating and succeeding in the current economic climate, and what lessons can be learned from their successes.”

Notes to editors

1. For further information or interviews, please contact The Employee Ownership Association: 020 7922 7762// 07944 381743 or sam.dowling@employeeownership.co.uk

2. The Employee Ownership Association is the voice of co-owned business in the UK – a network of over a hundred companies with significant employee ownership and a sector of the economy worth over £25 billion annually.

3. Members include co-owned John Lewis, Waitrose, Unipart and Arup, plus a host of successful enterprises from many sectors of the economy. The Association’s role is to serve its member companies and promote the growth of employee ownership in the UK.

4. For more information visit www.employeeownership.co.uk