TWO of East Yorkshire’s pioneers for present-day social and economic change have joined our board during our tenth anniversary year.
Deb Oxley and Terry Moran have become trustees of CatZero – joining our impressive board, that has former Smith & Nephew executive Jim Dick as its chair.
Both Deb and Terry have been integral in leading national change in their respective fields.
Deb, who received an OBE in the 2019 New Year’s Honours for her services to Employee Ownership and Social Enterprise, is currently CEO of the Employee Ownership Association, (EOA), a national membership organisation which represents businesses that are either already employee-owned or are transitioning into employee ownership. Examples of employee-owned businesses in the Yorkshire region include Lush, the John Lewis Partnership, and the City Health Care Partnership.
In 2017, she led the UK’s largest independent national inquiry into employee ownership, which involved a panel of over 20 UK business organisations, gathering evidence from more than 100 employee-owned businesses and those who advise them.
Born in Hull, her career took her through the ranks at Kingston Communications, now KCOM, onto the team of Cityimage and to the joint creation of a place marketing business that created a new vision for the region – developing the ‘Energy Estuary’ brand. Throughout her career, her success has been matched with a desire to effect and lead social change, and this drive has led her to CatZero.
“As a society, we are experiencing increasing levels of inequality in all areas of life, from education, to employment and housing. When I witness this and hear stories of how some people are forced to live their lives and the resulting lack of opportunities, I am motivated to try to make a difference, to help close these gaps and to deliver more opportunity for all,” said Deb.
“I am a huge supporter of charities, and have always admired their purpose and their passion. I was drawn to CatZero because it is about the area I have lived all my life, it’s about change and it’s about taking an innovative approach and doing something different,” she added.
As the present Chairman of the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Terry Moran CB enjoyed a 35-year-career in the Civil Service until his semi-retirement in 2013.
Terry began work in a social security office in Yorkshire at the age of 16 and rose to become Chief Executive of the Pension, Disability and Carers Service. His most recent position was Second Permanent Secretary and Chief Operating Officer at the Department for Work and Pensions responsible for all employment, pensions and benefits services nationally.
With more time and a desire to support organisations with which his values are aligned, Terry undertook some charity roles and also joined the NHS as a Non-Executive in 2015 and was subsequently appointed as NHS Trust chairman in 2017.
His work with the Trust introduced him to CatZero and with an ethos and values that appealed to him, Terry was keen to help and joined the board. He is forthright in his views that supporting people of all ages into training and work is a linchpin that will help overcome some of the issues faced by people and families experiencing exclusion or disadvantage.
“When a person is supported to find work by giving them the confidence and social skills to be successful it can transform their lives and those of their families. I saw this first hand with the work of Jobcentre Plus. Everyone deserves those opportunities irrespective of background,” said Terry.