Matheson, Fields, Shukla and Williams to join SoA's board of directors

Helen Fields, Nadine Matheson, Nikesh Shukla and Julia Williams have been elected to join the Society of Authors’ board of directors, selected out of 12 nominations.

The board, which is called the Management Committee, is voted for by the union’s members and decides the union’s strategic direction.

The four new members join Harriet Evans, Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, Charles Harris, Abie Longstaff, Juliet McKenna, Nicholas Rankin and Hugh Roberts. The 2023/2024 Management Committee is chaired by Joanne Harris, who was unanimously re-elected as chair in January 2022 and will serve until January 2024, after which a new chair will be elected by the members.

The newly elected members will join the board after the 2023 Annual General Meeting on 16th November. After the meeting, Dorothy Koomson, Anne Rooney, Margaret Skea and Philip Womack will complete their current three-year terms and hand over to their successors.

Harris said: "As next year’s general election looms, it’s more important than ever for authors to come together against threats to our livelihood, like artificial intelligence, dodgy deals and the cost of living crisis.

"Helen, Nadine, Nikesh and Julia bring with them a wealth of knowledge, and a wide range of experience and perspective. I look forward to working with them to guide and support our members and lobby for authors’ rights at this critical time.

"Many thanks to Dorothy Koomson, Anne Rooney, Margaret Skea and Philip Womack for their strategic input to the direction of the organisation over the past three years."