The Association of Chairs (AoC) has regained access to its old website domain after it was stolen in a cyberattack last month.
AoC lost access to its former domain, associationofchairs.org.uk, on 23 May and the site was listed as being up for sale at auction.
The organisation has now managed to recover its old website domain with the help of Nominet UK, the company that operates the UK’s national domain name registry.
Its primary website will remain associationofchairs.co.uk, set up following the cyberattack, with the old domain directing users to its new website.
AoC said the cyberattack caused no losses to personal data or finances due to its introduction of a new website and CRM in March this year.
Chair of AoC Joe Saxton told Civil Society: “The team’s diligent work over the past year to select professional, security-focused suppliers has paid off and the new systems have opened a whole new world of possibility for us.”
New service and permanent CEO
Meanwhile, the membership organisation recently launched a service for chairs who are facing challenges or crises.
With support from the Garfield Weston Foundation, Chairs in Need launched last month with newly recruited mentors and professional consultants to work with chairs.
The charity also appointed Liz Lowther, its interim chief executive since November 2023, as its permanent CEO.
Saxton said: “We formally interviewed Liz for the permanent role, and she impressed us with her ideas for the development of us and our work over the next years.
“Our decision to appoint her was unanimous, and we are excited about the potential under her leadership.”
Saxton also said that AoC broke even in its financial year ending March 2025 despite expecting a deficit due to the cost of the new CRM system and website.
“This is down to strong financial management of costs and a little bit more income from our training,” he said.
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