Declarations of Interest/Archive

This page holds the historical record of Declarations of Interest from past trustees and staff.

2013-14

Ashley Van Haeften

I was paid a nominal rate for 3 weeks of software development with University College London (UCL) in 2010 (before I was involved with the Wikimedia UK board) and retain an unpaid voluntary interest in these projects. I have always avoided, and will recuse myself from, any discussion or proposals for projects, events or relationships between Wikimedia UK and UCL to ensure there can be no question of a conflict of loyalties.

I am the Wikimedia UK representative on the Wikimedia Chapters Association Council. Wikimedia UK is kept informed relating to my role as the Chapter representative at each Board meeting and by email to the trustees for any relevant issues as they arise. There are no current conflicts of interest or loyalty. I shall recuse myself from trustee decisions relating to any grants to support the WCA.

I am the co-founder and named on the "proposed initial board" of the outreach project and potential thematic organization Wikimedia LGBT, first established in April 2012. There are no current conflicts of interest or loyalty. I shall recuse myself from trustee discussions relating to any future grants to support the Wikimedia LGBT organization.

As a consultant I have worked with a large number of organizations in the past, and will declare these to avoid any potential claim of a conflict of loyalty, either publicly or in confidence to the Board as appropriate, actively to be managed should Wikimedia UK ever enter into a relationship with any of them. --Fæ (talk) 16:53, 8 February 2013 (UTC)

2012-13

Doug Taylor

Although now retired, there are some areas where I may still retain a financial interest, or may appear to have an interest that could potentially conflict:

• I used to have a part of UHY Hacker Young, our auditors, as a client for my company over four years ago.
• I may still carry out some work for Metropolis 2 Ltd.
• I am Chair of the Board of Trustees of the charity, Job Change, and Chair of the social enterprise, Job Change 2007.
• I am Vice-Chair of the Regulations Committee of OCR.

My directorships, past and present, may be viewed at http://company-director-check.co.uk/director/903881846

I have agreed to serve on the initial board of Wikimedia Medicine, a thematic organisation to promote the development of medical content on Wikimedia projects. Although the objects of the organisation align with our own, I will nevertheless recuse from all discussions or decisions related to WMMED to ensure that any conflict of loyalties is avoided.

John Byrne

• WMUK: In June 2011 I was asked by the Board to work with Steve Virgin, then a Trustee, as a volunteer to choose new solicitors to handle our application to the Charity Commission to become a Registered Charity. In late August, when the amount of work involved in drafting submissions etc had become clear it was agreed that WMUK pay me £2,500 as a flat fee for this work, which was recognized as well below an arms-length figure for the work. This was invoiced and paid soon after. The main work was preparing the submission sent to the CC on September 23rd, and the work concluded in early November after some tidying-up after the application was agreed by the CC on November 5th 2011. I was appointed acting Treasurer on a voluntary basis in April 2012, and then stood for and was elected to the Board at the AGM on May 12 2012.

• WMUK: The 2nd Wikipedia Core Contest closed on March 31st 2012, before I was a Trustee, or indeed Acting-Treasurer. The prizes (a total of £250 Amazon vouchers) were sponsored by WMUK, but WMUK took no part in the judging, which was by a panel of 3: Casliber (Australia), Brianboulton (UK) and Sue Gardner (WMF/US). The winners were announced on May 29th, by which time I was a WMUK trustee. I won £30, which was paid not long after. I entered the 3rd contest, closed Auguest 31st 2012, but was ineligible for the money prizes, as they are again being sponsored by WMUK.

Roger Bamkin

• Roger was a paid consultant for Monmouthshire County Council and Nottingham Museums. He also runs a company, Victuallers Ltd. As documented in Wikipedia and elsewhere Roger, like everyone else, has IPR rights over things that he has invented, developed or written. e.g. Before Roger became a board member he developed QRpedia with Terence Eden. These interests were declared to the members before the last election.
• Roger's associations with other companies and councils in the past are well documented on-line.
• At the end of June Roger signed a contract with the Government of Gibraltar. There is no known COI as WMUK does not have a relationship with this Government but it is hoped that one may develop. Roger has a business relationship with John Cummings and Steve Virgin. The contract includes the delivery of training and the creation of QRpedia plaques - there is no paid editing involved.
• Roger is part of a successful Geovation bid with Andy Mabbett, Robin Owain and John Cummings. This means that he is likely to be talking to many councils in Wales.
• Roger is receiving £100 from De Montfort University, Leicester for talking about Wiki-Town and new business models and will receive free accommodation when talking at Oxford University in October 2012.

Joscelyn Upendran

• Joscelyn is Public Project Lead for Creative Commons in the United Kingdom.