The MemberWise Network is unique as being the only Network led by association and membership professionals. A core part of our team are the MemberWise Ambassadors; a group of practising membership professionals specialising in a specific area that we consider core and crucial to the world of membership such as engagement, recruitment and value.
In recent years, we have branched out into complementary areas such as governance, leadership, AI, communications and PR, and people/volunteer management in order to show how the membership role requires broader business insight and experience.
We are now pleased to announce that we have appointed a new Ambassador in the area of Operations and Finance – Introducing Julian Davis, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at World Commerce and Contracting (WorldCC).
Let’s get to know Julian (and the high profile trade body he currently works for) who’ll be championing this crucial/developing area of activity…
Tell us about yourself and the membership body you currently work for…
I have been with WorldCC for 3 years and this is my first experience of the membership industry. Previously I have worked as CIO/Programme Director for organisations such as UK Power Networks, Direct Line, Lloyds Bank, Zurich Insurance, Nationwide, Barclays and British Aerospace, delivering organisational and IT change.
Since joining WorldCC I have helped to control operational costs to ensure we have a stable budget that we are confident we can work within. Having evolved over 25 years there were lots of people in WorldCC doing lots of great things, but no clarity on roles and responsibilities, so I have introduced more formal functions, job descriptions and individual objectives. I have also ensured that processes and working procedures are consistently documented and instilled a continuous improvement culture across the team. When I initially joined I reviewed the IT systems and architecture and created a 3 year IT strategy. We are about to embark on the final leg of the digital transformation, implementing a new CRM and member portal capability that will be fully integrated with our other systems to provide a seamless member experience.
How did you ‘get into membership’?
I met the CEO of WorldCC on holiday in Spain 21 years ago. We had children of a similar age and a friendship was formed, both families returning to the same resort every October half-term. Three years ago she finally managed to persuade me to join WorldCC and help run the business.
How have you interacted with the network in the past?
Since joining WorldCC I was keen to understand more about how membership organisations worked. I quickly discovered MemberWise and attended a number of the events to learn about the industry and the challenges everyone else was facing. It was extremely helpful in my education and I am now privileged to be a part of that team.
What are your key goals and challenges?
Our challenges and goals at WorldCC are probably similar to many membership associations; how do we attract new members and how do we keep them, which naturally leads onto clearly articulating our value proposition, understanding member engagement and the services that they are really adding value to them.
How will you champion your specialism area (Operations and Finance)?
There always seems to be a focus on growing membership and revenue generation within membership associations. I will be championing a balanced view, that having an efficient operational team and a control over cost is crucial to enable that growth to happen.
What is your key recommendation to anyone new to the Membership and Association Sector?
Anyone joining a membership association for the first time must get along to a MemberWise event as this is the best way to learn about how the industry operates and network with your peers.
Finally, tell us something about yourself that not many people will know…
I am a qualified FA Level 4 referee officiating on step 3, 4 & 5 football, so on Saturday afternoons and midweek evenings you might see me officiating a game at a stadium near you!
You can find out more about our growing cohort of MemberWise Ambassadors here…
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