Sources identify successor to Butterworth
A shortlist of candidates has been drawn up for the chairman's job of the IRM after the present incumbent Mark Butterworth announced he would stand down last week.
The chairman's job is up for grabs after Butterworth announced his intention to step down from the role at the IRM's AGM in December.
Butterworth told Insurance Times: "I have decided not to take the option of two years as chairman because of the time involved. However, I will take an active role in IRM Foundation, the educational side of the institute, and remain editor of Inform, the in-house journal."
According to sources two candidates from the IRM's board of directors have a strong position in the running - the IRM deputy chairman Catherine Boothroyd and Paul McDonald, risk manager at BAe.
Support for Boothroyd is growing because, according to the source, she would be "the first female chairman and is a working mother".
IRM executive director Steve Fowler said: "There are a number of candidates in the frame. Kate [Boothroyd] and Paul [McDonald] are certainly on that list.
"This is a very important time for the IRM. Mark has done an excellent job in steering us through a difficult time. Basically the IRM has been a patient who is extremely unwell, but is now living, breathing and coping. Whoever takes the chairman's role will be expected to push Mark's work forward on education."
Fowler added that due to the IRM's constitution he is barred from entering the race.
He refuted claims by certain sources at the IRM that there was a "dearth of eligible candidates".
