Sean Hewitt resigns

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
Neil Graham
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Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Neil Graham » Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:43 am

I note from the ECF website that Sean Hewitt has resigned as non-executive director with immediate effect and also resigned as International rating officer. I am rather surprised that the terse statement doesn't thank Sean for his work.

Perhaps the forum can be advised further on this?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:56 am

Neil Graham wrote: Perhaps the forum can be advised further on this?
The (final) row seems to have been about one of the papers presented by Directors or Board for the attention of the Council meeting, namely this one
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... sembly.pdf

For background, start here
http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... 2&start=15

The problem as told to the forum is that the C20.17 is not as it would appear, written on behalf of the whole Board, but is rather more personally written by the CEO. The story appears to be that Sean asked for it to be changed to remove the suggestion that he personally endorsed the motion and that the paper was in the name of the Board as a whole, and he resigned when this didn't happen.

Sean Hewitt
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Sean Hewitt » Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:32 pm

Neil Graham wrote:I note from the ECF website that Sean Hewitt has resigned as non-executive director with immediate effect and also resigned as International rating officer. I am rather surprised that the terse statement doesn't thank Sean for his work.
Thanks Neil. For the record, I did not have have not withdrawn my offer to continue to help Andrew Walker in his role as IRO.
Roger de Coverly wrote:The (final) row seems to have been about one of the papers presented by Directors or Board for the attention of the Council meeting, namely this one
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... sembly.pdf

For background, start here
http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... 2&start=15

The problem as told to the forum is that the C20.17 is not as it would appear, written on behalf of the whole Board, but is rather more personally written by the CEO. The story appears to be that Sean asked for it to be changed to remove the suggestion that he personally endorsed the motion and that the paper was in the name of the Board as a whole, and he resigned when this didn't happen.
Exactly so. Interestingly, Phil Ehr is meeting with Andrew Paulson this afternoon.

Martin Crichton
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Martin Crichton » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:39 pm

Andrew Paulson will be running for ECU Deputy President with the blessing of the ECF council.

As far as I understand it...it's a done deal.

It's called politics.
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Sean Hewitt
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Sean Hewitt » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:53 pm

Martin Crichton wrote:Andrew Paulson will be running for ECU Deputy President with the blessing of the ECF council.
Perhaps, but I wouldn't bet on it!
Martin Crichton wrote:As far as I understand it...it's a done deal.
I'm pretty sure it isn't!

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John Upham
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by John Upham » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:02 pm

If the ECF Board was to renage on its offer/inducement/condition to quicken the resignation of AP could that mean that AP could be considered to have "unresigned" and be back in post?
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Sean Hewitt » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:11 pm

John Upham wrote:If the ECF Board was to renage on its offer/inducement/condition to quicken the resignation of AP could that mean that AP could be considered to have "unresigned" and be back in post?
I fully expect Council to defeat the motion to appoint Paulson as ECU proxy. However, the ECF board won't have reneged on it's offer to Paulson in that scenario. Either way you can't un-resign. One could be appointed to a position by the board after resigning though.

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John Upham
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by John Upham » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:16 pm

So might we be surprised to learn that the CEO will offer AP a place on a the board in exchange for not taking up the ECU offer?

Would this be on the grounds that board members are adjusting their position on the ECU offer?
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PeterFarr
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by PeterFarr » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:39 pm

If the CEO did that, he might also find himself at the wrong end of a no confidence motion, I would have thought.

If AP thought the deal was worth more than the paper it was written on, he's only got himself to blame, however cynical (smart?) the actions of the rest of the Board.

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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Sean Hewitt » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:43 pm

John Upham wrote:So might we be surprised to learn that the CEO will offer AP a place on a the board in exchange for not taking up the ECU offer?
What makes you think that this might be the case?
John Upham wrote:Would this be on the grounds that board members are adjusting their position on the ECU offer?
I'm not aware of any board member adjusting their position, though it's clear that the CEO didn't understand what the position of some of the board members was.

Richard Bates
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Richard Bates » Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:48 pm

I suppose one irony about Phil Ehr's (mis?)calculation is that Sean's resignation means one less vote for the motion at Council. Or is Sean obliged to cast his vote as outgoing Director?

Mike Gunn
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Mike Gunn » Sun Apr 06, 2014 11:52 am

As Sean has resigned he no longer has a vote (as a director) at Council.

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John Upham
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by John Upham » Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:05 am

Putting 2 and 2 together to obtain 5 I had this wacky thought that maybe PE was meeting AP to offer AP the Presidency once more.

This would make some sense following the resignation of SH.

Have I gone totally barking with this? :lol:
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Roger de Coverly
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:53 am

John Upham wrote:Putting 2 and 2 together to obtain 5 I had this wacky thought that maybe PE was meeting AP to offer AP the Presidency once more.
I believe the legal position is that it's a decision of the Board as a whole, rather than the CEO.

The question not yet answered, in public at least, is whether, when and how the ECF propose to appoint or elect a new President and for that matter non-Executive director. I assume the subject will be allowed to be discussed at the Council meeting.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Sean Hewitt resigns

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Mon Apr 07, 2014 12:04 pm

"I believe the legal position is that it's a decision of the Board as a whole, rather than the CEO."

but I thought the issue re Sean's resignation was that the CEO published a personal document as if it were a Board document...

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