Executive Directors
Our senior management team works hard to ensure all departments pull together to provide the seamless, high-quality service to which our clients are accustomed.
Sian Roberts — Chief Executive
Jenny Bradley — Finance Director and Company Secretary
Nick Goodman — Director and Managing Director of Membership Engagement Services
Simon Hearn — Director of Client Advisory Department
Russell Lord — Director of Production
Ian Robinson — Director of Quality Control and Facilities
Joe Wadsworth — Director of Information Services
Sian Roberts - Chief Executive
I joined Electoral Reform Services in 1993 as Business Development Manager to develop and implement the sales strategy. My role also involved translating legislation into practice for clients and potential new business. In 1996 I was promoted to Deputy Chief Executive, working in partnership with the CEO in the development and growth of the company.
I took over from Owen Thomas as Chief Executive at the beginning of 2010. As Chief Executive I ensure that, alongside my work in high-level strategic client and business development, I continue to be actively involved in all areas of the day-to-day running of Electoral Reform Services. This enables me to make highly informed business decisions with absolute confidence.
As Chief Executive I am focused on building on the success of what is already the UK’s leading independent supplier of ballot and election services.
Jenny Bradley - Finance Director and Company Secretary
After my Chartered Accountancy training with Coopers and Lybrand (now PWC) I worked for several years in both professional practice and commercial companies, gaining experience in IT, insurance, manufacturing, travel, trading and building industries. I have also worked as a management accountant in Italy and delivered accounting and bookkeeping training.
I joined Electoral Reform Services in 1994, was appointed Company Secretary in 2000, and became Finance Director in 2003. My role includes supervising the accounts function in all the Group companies, liaising with auditors to produce compliant statutory accounts, monitoring costs and cash flow, reviewing contracts and co-ordinating board activities. I am also involved in various projects for clients, particularly when they involve subscriptions or appeals collection.
Nick Goodman - Director and Managing Director of Membership Engagement Services
After graduating in 1994, I joined Electoral Reform Services as a ballot adviser. My key focus became the development and introduction of secure e-voting systems in the UK.
In 2006, following 18 months spent as Head of Operations in the Client Advisory Department (formerly the Ballot Department), I set up a new subsidiary for the company: Membership Engagement Services (MES). The services offered complement those provided by Electoral Reform Services, helping organisations to connect effectively and meaningfully with their memberships.
Alongside my role as Managing Director of MES, my role on the Electoral Reform Services Board includes responsibility for all our marketing material to ensure that the range of services provided by the Group continues to develop coherently, innovatively and most importantly, in line with the needs of our clients.
Simon Hearn - Director of Client Advisory Department
My principal role as Director of the Client Advisory Department is to assure the quality and delivery of all Electoral Reform Services' balloting and consultation projects.
I have 17 years' experience managing elections and consultations on behalf of many of the country’s major trade unions, private companies, government agencies, charities, local authorities and professional associations. I am familiar with the management of large and sophisticated projects, having led on projects such as the June 2004 European and Local Government Election postal pilot project. This covered 44 local authorities and involved the printing of eight million ballot papers across 450 different contests.
Alternative voting systems are among my areas of expertise, particularly the counting of elections using the Single Transferable Vote. Throughout my career I have also worked overseas on a variety of election projects and was appointed as the “Electronic Voting Expert” to the EU Observation team for the 2005 Venezuelan Parliamentary elections.
Russell Lord - Director of Production
I began my career serving a trade apprenticeship as compositor in the print industry, working in a variety of roles, including estimating, sales and production, until I joined Electoral Reform Services in 1993.
Initially I had responsibility within Electoral Reform Services for producing and proofing artwork and management of print facilities. Over a short period of time I took on responsibility for all production-related processes from origination, through printing and lasering to enclosing.
My role as Director of Production involves working with staff, machinery and suppliers to ensure demanding deadlines are met whilst maintaining very high levels of quality and efficiency.
Ian Robinson - Director of Quality Control and Facilities
I have worked in management and project management roles throughout my career, initially within the construction sector and then moving into the communications sector. I hold professional qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
I joined Electoral Reform Services in 2003 and have been involved in the management of many projects including the North East Regional Assembly referendum in 2004, the Scottish Local and Parliamentary elections in 2008, the Manchester Congestion Charge referendum in 2008 and the European elections in 2009. Most recently I have been involved in the 2010 UK Local and Parliamentary elections.
Joe Wadsworth - Director of Information Services
I have over 20 years’ experience implementing IT solutions for election management. I began my career at Electoral Reform Services in 1989 as a ballot adviser which gave me a practical grounding and thorough understanding of the business requirements surrounding electoral services.
Since then I have been directly responsible for computerising almost every aspect of ERS's election process. This includes:
My current role is to ensure that all software development and infrastructure operations are effective, resilient and secure and that Electoral Reform Services continues to harness evolving technologies to further enhance our services.
