National Chair.
The National Chair shall be the point of contact between the Council and the national members. They are responsible for ensuring that members of their own group receive notices, agendas and minutes of General Meetings, and for keeping their members informed of decisions taken at Council Meetings. In addition, they shall be responsible for the recruitment of members in their own countries in accordance with the Statutes and local by-laws if applicable; and for liaison and good relations with other business organisation in their own countries.
The National Chair is responsible for:
- Circulating information on the National Group to the Council and the Executive Committee according to the requests announced twice per year in the Business Update Form (BUF) before each Council meeting.
- The recruitment of members in their own countries in accordance with the IMA Statutes (Article 3)
The National Chair is the Chair of the country’s National Committee and the official representative
(together with the National Treasurer and the National MarCom Officer) of her country at Council meetings held twice a year.
It is the responsibility of the National Chair to pursue the Vision & Mission of IMA on national level and for the national group in line with the Statutes of IMA.
In order to achieve consistency in the running of the Association internationally, the National Chair will:
- Ensure representation of her country at Council meetings and active participation
- Cooperate with Council/Executive Committee and creatively contribute as regards IMA strategy, development, vision etc.
- Ensure that any items her country wishes to be put in the Council Agenda reaches the Association Secretary 45 days prior to the Council meeting
- Call National Committee meetings on a regular basis (possibly monthly) and prepare the agendas to include finance, PR matters, membership, strategy and other matters.
- Brief new National Committee members on current matters
- At national meetings, ensure that opinions of all Committee Members are heard and a consensus is reached (every National Committee should work as a team)
- Submit membership applications to National Committee for consideration and acceptance (according to article 3 of the IMA Statutes)
- Promote recruitment of new Members and ensure that membership records (to be kept by the National Treasurer) are always up-to-date
- Ascertain that the international IMA guidelines are followed nationally by all concerned and deadlines met.
- Approve the national accounts to be contributed to the Executive Treasurer by the National Treasurer.
- Set up internal guidelines in accordance with international IMA guidelines if needed
- Set up project groups as appropriate
- Coordinate regional groups (if any)
- Call and conduct the National Annual General Meeting (AGM)
- Prepare the agenda for the national AGM to include:
- Approval of the Minutes of the preceding National AGM
- National Committee’s report
- Approval of the national statement of accounts for the preceding year
- Approval of the budget for the following year
- Appointment of auditors
- Approval of annual membership fees
- Endorsement of National Committee’s actions to date
- Election of National Representatives to the Council (National Chair, National Finance Officer & National MarCom Officer) and other Committee members
- Subjects proposed by members
- Inform the Executive Committee of newly elected Council Members: National Chair, National
- Treasurer, National MarCom Officer
- Send (draft) AGM minutes to the Association Secretary - in English! - as soon as possible, at the latest on 1 September.
- Ensure that announcements for the members are prepared and circulated regularly
- Organise events, seminars etc. to support and develop the members personally and professionally
- Encourage promotion of IMA (in co-operation with the National PRO) via the media, exhibitions, conferences and seminars as appropriate
- Establish and maintain relations and exchange of cooperation with Business Members in accordance with the aims of the Association
- In turn with other member countries host IMA AGM and international conferences of a business and cultural nature in accordance with conference guidelines
- Keep national minutes of meetings in the national Archives.
- Keep archives according to the local (national) legal requirements
- Assist members of other member countries who wish to relocate and work in her/his country
- Represent the Association when invited by other national associations to participate in meetings or other events
- Represent the Association at seminars and other events when invited. Please note if the seminar or events is on an international level should anchor with the Executive Committee.
- Brief successor and pass files on to her/him
Note: it is up to each National Chair to delegate some of the above functions to other National
Committee Members in accordance with her group’s internal requirements.