New Directors to Strengthen Great Western Society Board

The Great Western Society, the Charity that runs Didcot Railway Centre, today announces the appointment of two additional Trustees to augment the experience and expertise of the Board.

Mocky Khan will serve on the Board with immediate effect.  Mocky is a local entrepreneur specialising in new business development, sponsorship and partnership promotions and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He also serves as a councillor on both South Oxfordshire District Council and Didcot Town Council.

Mocky said “I have interacted with the Centre on several levels, visiting a number of times with my family and attending events in my official capacity.  It is a key player in the local tourism economy, and I am delighted to be joining the Board and look forward to helping the Society continue to grow and develop.”

Current Chief Executive, Emma Jhita, will join the Board in February when she steps down from her current position to join Historic England. Commenting on the change of role, she said “The Railway Centre is a very special place, and I am very keen to remain actively involved in supporting the Society.

She added, “The strong leadership of the Board and Senior Management Team will ensure continuity at this time. With so much potential as a heritage venue and Living Museum, I am committed to continuing to support the Centre, GWS members and audiences on this journey.”

Great Western Society Chairman, Richard Preston, thanked Emma for her tremendous efforts over the past 18 months and added, “I am very pleased that Emma has accepted our invitation to join the Board and that we will continue to benefit from her insight and knowledge as a museum professional. One of her achievements is in driving forward the changes necessary to create a professional Senior Management Team which now runs day to day activities.  That allows the Board to work in an increasingly non-executive capacity and concentrate on governance and strategy, particularly fundraising which will be vital going forward.

“I am also thrilled to have Mocky as a Director – his business acumen and experience in setting policy for officers to implement is directly transferrable to the Society’s business and is exactly what we need at this time.”

The recruitment process for a new Chief Executive will commence later this month with the aim of having a new CE in place early in 2021.

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