These board members are due for reappointment by Compass members at the 2025 AGM on Saturday 15th November.
Please consider these statements before voting in the Compass board elections this year.
Ruth Lister
I’m a Labour peer, a former academic and previous to that worked for the Child Poverty Action Group (and am now its hon president). I was Chair of the previous management committee for some years and have been Vice Chair of the Board since it was established. I wrote an earlier report on the Good Society and continue to contribute to our work on what I see as Compass’ lode star.
In the past year I’ve helped Compass with its work on child poverty and the two child limit. This included writing the report The Good Society Starts Small and helping to launch it at a parliamentary event. I’ve also contributed to the establishment of Mainstream and currently sit on its interim council. I was part of the former Forde Review of the Labour Party and contributed in particular to its section on the culture of the party. I hope that Compass (and Mainstream) can build on that work in the coming year to combat today’s hyper-factionalism.
I will continue to give what I can to Compass as my ‘political home’ at a time when its approach to politics and vision of a Good Society are needed more than ever.
Mark Cooke
I am a Chartered Accountant with over 40 years’ experience of financial management, having worked in senior roles across all of the public, private and third sectors. I am now retired from paid work, and in addition to Compass am Treasurer of the charity Child Poverty Action Group and a local charity the Harington Scheme.
I have been an active member of the Labour Party for almost 50 years, holding a wide range of positions in that as well. I have been Treasurer of Compass since it began, managing its finances, developing its systems, and supporting staff as it has grown. I also act as Company Secretary. If re-elected I will be working over the next few years to manage a succession for my roles in Compass, to ensure there is a clean transition when I finally retire! I am pleased that Compass’ finances are as strong as we have ever known.
Over the last year I have helped to manage the transfer of Renewal journal to Compass, worked on establishing Mainstream Labour with Open Labour colleagues, as well as supporting the staff
changes that have taken place over the last few months.
Neal Lawson
Politics is like musical chairs, you have to be ready if your moment comes. Compass have been getting ready for this moment of party fragmentation and economic failure. We are determined to defeat not just Reform but the causes of Reform. This demands three things, a cross-party alliance, a Popular Front in the country and a vision and body of ideas that make our dream of a good society feasible. We’ve got a strategy and now we need the alliances and resources to make it happen. We don’t have much time. This is the fight of our lives.
I’ve been honoured to lead Compass since its inception and especially humbled to work with amazing members of staff, the Board, a whole array of stakeholders and you, our members. Everything has been a preparation for now. We’ve been a political home for so many people and now from that platform we need to have a decisive influence on the future of our country. If you and the Board want me to stick around a bit longer, I can promise I have more energy and appetite than ever to make the most of the opportunities and challenges ahead of us.
Sarri Bater
Sarri Bater, Founder Director of OpenEdge Transforming Conflict. I bring to Compass a vital experience of NOT being involved in party politics, button social movements and community organising. I feel this is something that Compass needs to strengthen and understand more about -and how it is very different to party or parliamentary political engagement. I also specialise in power, identity and difference work, and bring a systemic equity lens. Again, a vital element for Compass to develop, in its mission and purpose.
John Jackson
I am interested in joining the Compass Board for a number of reasons. Firstly I am committed to Compass’s aim of advancing a good society through change that is both driven by, and leading to, more effective progressive politics. Secondly, I have enjoyed working with Neal and the Compass team, particularly on strategy development and on its New Popular Front initiative. Lastly, I am keen to contribute further to an organisation which is already building an effective response to the failing politics of our time.
My background is in strategy and campaign development. I have worked for the last 30 years in the environment, development, human rights and social justice sectors, both internationally and in the UK. Campaigns I have been involved in include: the international landmine ban, fairtrade, World Bank/IMF reform, Burmese democracy, housing rights and the fight for a minimum wage (New York).
If confirmed as a member of the Compass Board I would gladly bring whatever skills and experience I can to advance its mission.
Pablo John
In 2022 I ran for Wandsworth Council, during this process I befriended my Liberal Democrat opponent, and although we both lost, we built a life-long friendship. We decided to join Compass together to fight for the pluralistic politics that united us.
I have been a co-opted member of the Board for the last few months where I have helped launch Mainstream and deliver the “Change How” Conference. Before then I have campaigned alongside Compass members from the Fair Votes APPG to work within the Electoral Reform Society.
I have spent nearly a decade in progressive politics, working in Parliament, for the Labour Party and in various advocacy roles. In my day job I am Head of External Affairs at the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE), a non-profit clean energy trade body. In my spare time I am particularly involved in the democracy sector, serving on the Boards of the Electoral Reform Society, Open Labour and Politics for the Many.
Jon Yeung
I’ve been a member of Compass for many years, contributing to projects such as the Good Society publication and the 2024 General Election. I supported project management, coached volunteers in the phone banking programme, and took part in strategy sessions with the leadership team and Board.
I applied to join the Board as I believe in the overall goals and approach of Compass and want to help the organisation develop and succeed. At a local, national and global level there are critical societal issues that need collaborative, joined up, top-down and bottom-up solutions where Compass can make a difference through its own activities and in alliance with other organisations. I am attracted by the cross-party nature of Compass and its spread of activities across thought leadership, political influence and local/national campaigning.
My professional career in business brings skills and experience in leadership, strategic planning and execution, organisational development and communication. As a Chartered Accountant I also bring financial expertise to the Board. I am a non-executive director for several corporate and not for profit organisations and can bring this wider experience to the Compass Board.
Shuvo Loha
I have been a member of Compass for around 15 years. Professionally, I am the Global Operations Director for a recruitment business, and I bring experience across Human Resources, Legal and Compliance, and Finance. As a current board member, I have helped reduce costs in external HR consultancy by supporting the executive team to manage employment-related processes internally. I have also led on recruitment processes and role changes within the organisation.
I have been active for many years on issues of social and economic justice, community cohesion, and equality of opportunity, and I have been a member of the Labour Party for over 30 years. I look forward to continuing to support the board of Compass in strengthening our organisational capabilities and advancing an open, collaborative and constructive political culture.