BAPLA Executive Director Steps Down
From the press release: The British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies (BAPLA) is waving a sad farewell to Executive Director, Simon Cliffe, who is leaving the Association after nearly three years in charge.
Cliffe was tasked with the job of creating a ‘recession proof’ Trade Association and developing a strategy that would enable BAPLA to develop the industry to be fit for purpose in the 21st century. That is now done.
His appointment in 2008 followed a strategic review commissioned by the then Executive Committee.
Current BAPLA Chairman Paul Brown says: “Simon has created a vision for BAPLA which helps protect our industry and supports members of all sizes, and put it into practice. We now have a streamlined association which can be run by the office, the Chairman and the Board, which has helped cut costs, and have identified and are acting upon the issues most essential to the industry.” Over the last three years, Cliffe and the BAPLA office have overseen the development and launch of a number of business tools for BAPLA members, including a new legal advice line, the publication of a raft of research documents and digital rights models for key markets such as magazines and book publishing, and, the shortly to be released new digital terms and conditions.
Cliffe says “My role has been to balance the work we commit to protecting our industry with the task of providing new business tools for our members, whilst promoting our industry and running a small business through a recession. With the proposed changes to copyright and licensing, we have been working smart with our resources. I now believe BAPLA is in the best position ever to influence change at the right level. Working closely with me, former BAPLA CEO Linda Royles has been able to focus her tenacious skills on pushing BAPLA onto the political stage, and working with our members, we have created positions and strategies on a number of critical subjects which Linda will continue to deliver on.” Cliffe continued: “It is very sad to be leaving, especially as I’ve made so many new friends in my time at BAPLA, but BAPLA now has a very strong focus, a solid strategy and new opportunities to generate revenue without hiking up membership fees”. BAPLA’s existence has never been more important than it is today, and the
new structure now in place, ensures that the Association will remain viable going into the future.
Posted in: BAPLA
