During Neil’s tenure, Cambridge Network has continued to thrive and grow with a variety of new products and services being launched, including Recruitment Gateway and the Cambridge Leadership Academy, the peer learning group for CEOs.
Bill said: “Neil has been a very successful Chairman who has reshaped the organisation to meet the needs of the Cambridge cluster. His vision was for the Network to 'raise the game' of Cambridge. Under his Chairmanship this has been achieved."
Claire Ruskin, CEO of Cambridge Network, said: "We are inviting a rotation of members to our Board meetings, starting with the next meeting in May, as part of collating input from our 1,500 members to make sure our services continue to raise the game of Cambridge. One person representing a Founder member company and one representing a smaller organisation will attend each meeting so that we can keep up to date with views to help maintain the high value growth."
Bill Parsons was appointed as the new Chairman after the Board had considered a variety of strong candidates both within the Board and externally. Bill was selected since he has broad business experience in the Cambridge cluster, including over 13 years on the ARM Executive team that has built the company to a $20B market cap, being an external reader at the Judge Business School and a co-founder of Cambridge Network’s Learning Collaboration. He has been on the Cambridge Network Board for more than 10 years and has also been a Director of a local start-up and is on the Board of Andor plc. Bill is a Vice President of the CIPD, a Fellow of the IET and a Chartered Fellow of CIPD.
Neil Davidson, the retiring Chairman, commented: “Bill is an excellent choice, given his business background and his extensive experience within the Board of Cambridge Network. Bill has helped develop new products and services that are now central to the Network, including the Learning Collaboration, Cambridge Leaders Academy and Recruitment Gateway. I believe Bill provides continuity within the Board whilst at the same time bringing new ideas that should help the Network continue to meet the changing needs of the members.”
Claire Ruskin added: "I am delighted with the decision to appoint Bill. Bill is at the heart of growing Cambridge business and has inspired us with feedback on what members want. He provides a great balance of support in running the Network as well as challenging the Network’s team to achieve ever more.”
Bill is retiring early from ARM in May.
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