The 14-person Jewellers Association of Australia (JAA) National Industry Council will be responsible for conducting annual strategic reviews of the JAA, providing a forum for discussing industry issues, and working on sub-committees.
The establishment of the council is the first of a two-stage restructuring process. The second stage involves making appropriate amendments to the association’s constitution to facilitate a reduced number of board directors, and a new election process that gives members direct voting rights.
JAA president Selwyn Brandt said the changes were “historic” and would help “move the association forward”.
“Over the last year, the JAA has been working on developing this concept into a detailed model that maintains industry representation, whilst establishing a structure for the board that will enable efficient formulation and implementation of policies and direction for the industry,” he said.
Brandt added that once the new structure was established and functioning, the JAA would be able to respond more quickly to changes in the marketplace and policy arena.
“Importantly, we believe the new structure will allow the organisation to focus more energy and resources on strategic issues that matter most to members and to the industry. It will also create new opportunities for member engagement and a broader industry voice in strategic decision-making,” he said.
The decision to form the council was based on a strategic review conducted in late 2012, which indicated that the current board of 14 people was too large to efficiently manage the affairs of the JAA.
As such, it was decided that a smaller board comprised of people with “appropriate expertise” was required in order for the JAA to become more relevant to the industry.
Members of the National Industry Council will be announced prior to the council’s inaugural meeting, which is scheduled for May this year.