Candidates 2010

All places on the Manchester Digital 12-person council were up for re-election at the AGM on 19 May 2010. There were 18 candidates and there was therefore a secret ballot. The election procedure is detailed here.

The candidates are listed below in the order they submitted their nominations. The member organisation is also listed where relevant. Each candidate is allowed up to 100 words to say why they should be elected.

Nick Rhind

CTI

Elected

Were all about build, stability and support. Cti are a team of over 25 technical developers collaborating with design and advertising agencies on a successful and continual basis. My skills are in getting digital agencies collaborating together to provide solutions. I see collaborating as a key part of what Manchester Digital needs to do to engage developers, designer and agencies and the communities they are involved in. By working together we can bring more work to the numerous agencies in Manchester and achieve real results that aren’t just justified by cost but best for the task.

Stephen Greene

Stan

Not elected

Been increasingly involved with the digital community in Manchester for some time. Missed out on the council last year but still feel I can contribute a great deal to the growth, awareness and opportunity for our sector. Looking at the grassroots community some of the brightest talent is here in the NW. There is more we can do to improve recognition and prospects.

Philip Jeffs

Fudge

Elected

Manchester's digital community has never been stronger, largely due to independent groups which have taken the lead in holding together this community and delivering value to its members. Unfortunately, Manchester Digital is absent from this. A lack of credibility and engagement has damaged Manchester Digital's reputation. The council should be made up of people like myself, who are active in the community as well as the industry. It should know how to engage with its audience and provide something valuable. This will only happen if the individuals on the council are able to speak to the community as peers.

Mike Ryan

Idaho

Elected

I'm committed to the continued growth of Manchester's digital sector and wish to continue my involvement in the delivery of a stronger association. We all need to work harder and build on the existing MD values and make digital the centre of local growth ensuring education is influenced and digital businesses are prepared for the future.

Kirstie Buchanan

Reading Room

Not elected

I have been passionate about educating current staff but also getting involved with universities throughout the NW in educating the students that want to enter the world of digital. Its important that agencies are involved with the education section to help create a future 'bank' of digital specialists that can within reason hit the ground running.

Nina Mack

WorshipDigital

Elected

I’d love to be re-elected to MD council as I believe that in the last few months we’ve entered an exciting phase which promises to make MD membership even more valuable to the Northwest digital sector. I believe that it’s important to have people on the council who represent the smaller, newer digital agencies. Having formed Worship in 2009, I understand what smaller, newer digital agencies want and need compared to the larger, more established agencies. If I’m re-elected, I look forward to helping develop the MD website and the MD event calendar in the coming months. Thank you.

Shaun Fensom

Elected

I was at the founding meeting of Manchester Digital in 2000, and I have been active ever since. I became chair in 2003. Over the last year we have seen strong growth in digital despite the recession. There is more interest than ever before in what we have to say. MD needs to be ready to use this opportunity. We have made progress over the last year in improving the member sign-up process and consolidating the basic set of member benefits we offer. Now is the time to attract new members and enhance these benefits.

David Edmundson-Bird

Manchester Metropolitan University

I have worked hard this year to make sure we have that critical link between the industry and education. We've run the successful ProDev day for the 3rd time and this year introduced SearchSchool to get practitioners training the future SEO employees. I am committed to providing more of the right kind of employees for the Digital community and can only do this in conjunction with Manchester Digital. Elect me to the Council again to make sure your trade gets heard in the corridors of HE and we deliver what you want.

Steve Downes

Juice Digital

Not elected

I'm passionate about all things digital, especially socially media. That's all we do! I've also been around a while so might be able to add a bit of grey hair to proceedings - if that's a good thing!

Richard Hudson

Vanilla Storm Limited

Elected

Manchester Digital has massive potential and there’s much work to be done. Whilst on the Council, I’ve more recently been actively involved in developing our events programme and preparing for the rebuild of the MD website into an open, comprehensive and widely used resource connecting with all parts of our community, including business. I’d like to continue with this work and develop other initiatives to enable questions like “Why should I join Manchester Digital?” to be history and build closer links with local special interest groups. I represent the smaller digital companies in our membership, as I run one myself.

Jeremy Coates

Magma Digital (Co-Comp Ltd t/as)

Not elected

Jeremy is MD of the eight strong team that is Magma Digital based in Leyland, Lancashire. He is an active member in a number of communities within the Manchester and wider scene and is keen to promote smaller digital agencies and grass roots community views within Manchester Digital and their wider representations of the sector. His experience as founder and organiser of the PHP North West (PHPNW) community will help him in this regard. Jeremy is also keen to promote greater development of meaningful standards within the digital sector and sees Manchester Digital as potentially a key driving force.

Tony Foggett

Code Computerlove

Elected

I believe that Manchester Digital plays a vital role for our industry by: • Being a focal point to connect together talent, business opportunities and foster collaboration. • Improving the quality of Manchester’s digital industry through encouragement of best practice, providing learning opportunities and influencing the HE organizations that create the talent our companies need to thrive • Lobbying and advising local government on behalf of the industry to ensure the needs of our industry are heard and attended to In Manchester, our industry’s future will be intrinsically linked to our continued ability to collaborate and see the bigger picture.

Mike Blackburn

I-COM

Not elected

I work in one of the most exciting sectors of the digital economy in a medium-sized search agency, yet our type of business is relatively unrepresented on the Manchester Digital Council. Manchester Digital does a great job but has the potential to do so much more in terms of education and encouraging quality standards. I’d like to get involved, helping organisations like ours feel more connected to Manchester Digital. I am also an active member of the local Council of Manchester Chamber of Commerce and believe there can be significant benefits from encouraging both organisations to work together more closely.

Dave Carter

Manchester Digital Development Agency

Elected

I’m keen to continue my involvement in the MD Council especially given the crucial stage of discussions with the NWDA about future work developing the digital/creative sector in the North West, especially rolling out Next Generation Open Access broadband. I have been working closely with other MD Council members to ensure that the NWDA and others recognise the crucial role that MD plays in representing the sector and organising key high-profile events such as the Big Chip Awards. I’d like to continue this work on the MD Council.

Stephen Mount

Not elected

An ex-freelancer now MD for self-web firms in Manchester and involved in various Manchester small firms digital strategy (both web and IT) I have experience of working in new media & ICT in both education and corporate environments. Have experience with working with projects for all age ranges working closely with graphic designers, web freelancers, copywriters, PR agents and competitor web agencies shows the range of professions I have been involved with. Lined up to speak at barcamps and business conferences advising on web and print I could use skill(s)/experience to inform MD members.

Rajesh Joshi

Elected

It's essential to have a strong, representative trade association that's relevant to everyone in the “digital sector”. In addition to larger digital business, SMEs and freelancers, it also includes the network of digital user groups and interest groups that are a vast, but seemingly hidden part of the northwest digital community. If I’m elected to the council, I will focus on massively improving MD's communications and bring about a more collaborative approach to its work. I'm an experienced online community builder, helping organise Manchester's monthly Social Media Cafe. I currently work in public sector digital communications. Read more: http://j.mp/ManchesterDigital

Raj Mahapatra

Legal 2.0

Elected

Law first, legal management and now management with a bit of everything else. I have found myself in a bit of a niche at Manchester Digital and within the MD Council over the past few years. Given the heady title of “Secretary” within months of joining the council four years ago, I look forward to continuing to offer my assistance to the Council over the next year and, in particular, making sure that it continues to stay on the right side of the law!

Tim Dobson

DMC

Elected

I'm standing for council to get Manchester Digital reconnected to Manchester's digital communities. Over the past few years MD has done fantastic work to engage growing medium sized businesses and I think there is a lot that MD can offer to the wider community of businesses, micro-enterprises and enterprises across Manchester. As an active community figure, I feel that I can help make MD more relevant to smaller companies and help MD engage with the grassroots communities that make Manchester such a vibrant place to do business.