Independent consultant appointed for Wikimedia governance review

01 Nov 2012 News

Wikimedia UK and the Wikimedia Foundation have appointed Compass Partnership to conduct a review and report on the governance of Wikimedia UK.

Wikimedia UK and the Wikimedia Foundation have appointed Compass Partnership to conduct a review and report on the governance of Wikimedia UK.

Mike Hudson, and independent specialist consultant at Compass Partnership, will lead the review into recent accusations of conflicts of interest concerning QRpedia, Monmouthpedia, Gibraltarpedia. It will also look at the charity’s current governance arrangements and policies.

In a statement the organisations said the review is expected to be published by 31 January or “in any event” by 15 February 2013. While the review is being carried out Wikimedia UK is unable to process payments for the annual fundraiser – the international Wikimedia Foundation will do so for the UK instead, but this means that the charity will be unable to claim gift aid.

Hudson will conduct interviews with current and former trustees, staff, and some stakeholders.

Wikimedia UK and the Wikimedia Foundation announced that an independent review would be carried out on 28 September following the resignation of one of Wikimedia UK’s trustees (Roger Bamkin) “to avoid confusion” between his role as a paid Wikipedia consultant and as a trustee. The legal teams of both organisations made suggestions and drew up a shortlist of two potential parties to carry out the review, before choosing Compass Partnership.   
 

 

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