Branch Executive Committee

The executive committee is responsible for the day to day running of the branch. They are elected once a year in a ballot of the membership. If you are interested in joining the executive committee, the calling notice for nominations is issued in April. The election results are announced at the Branch AGM in June, members become exec members 3 weeks after the AGM.

You can contact members of the executive committee directly, or by emailing ucu@open.ac.uk. Alternatively, see the ‘Get Help’ page if you have an employment issue.

New Executive Committee (links to a PDF file, 114 kb) from 25 June 2025

UCU office phone number: 01908 6(53069) or email ucu@open.ac.uk.

Officers followed by Executive Committee Ordinary members

Here are photos and mini biographies of our current Executive Committee, Officers followed by Ordinary members. (June 2025 to June 2026).

Exec members don't show in the menu on the right hand side of this page, if we don't yet have a photo and mini biography for them.

Pete Wood, Branch President

Read about Pete Wood, OU UCU Branch President, view biography

Malik Refaat, Vice President 1

Information about Malik Refaat - coming soon.

Kieran McCartney, Regional/National Academic Staff Officer

Information about Kieran - coming soon.

Ben Tidman, Central Academic-Related Staff Officer

Information about Ben - coming soon.

Steve Kirtley, Associate Lecturer Staff Officer (role share)

Read about Steve Kirtley, Associate Lecturer Staff Officer, view biography. Steve is sharing the AL Staff Officer role with Jenny Kermally, with effect from February 2026.