Two serving postmasters, Brian Smith and Sara Barlow, have been elected to the Post Office board as non-executive directors.
This is the second time in the Post Office’s 360-year history that serving postmasters have been elected to the board. Smith and Barlow will replace Elliot Jacobs and Saf Ismail who were first elected to sit on the board in 2021.
The appointment of Smith and Barlow follows approval from business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds. It comes after the Post Office chair Nigel Railton set out an ambitious five-year Transformation Plan for the Post Office to deliver a ‘New Deal for Postmasters’.
Brian Smith is the postmaster for Clocktower Post Office on the Shetland Islands. He has run the branch for 19 years. He said: “I am eager to bring my unique insights, diverse skills, and unwavering commitment to the Post Office's mission to the board. My passion for community engagement, drive for innovation, and a deep understanding of the retail landscape, will all aid me to support the Post Office on its path to modernisation and continued success.”
Sara Barlow is the postmaster for Rainhill, Merseyside. She has run the branch for six years and has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to business and the community. Barlow said: “I have been an active participant in many postmaster working groups, forums and associations. Whether it’s through Peer Support or in my role on the Wellbeing initiative team, I am driven to help support postmasters on a wide range of issues from remuneration improvements to emotional support.”
Voting to elect two new postmasters as non-executive directors to the Post Office board took place between 30 September and 16 October.
Commenting, post office minister Gareth Thomas, said: “It’s absolutely right that postmasters should play a leading role in shaping the future of the Post Office, providing invaluable experience to ensure it serves the needs of communities across the country. Brian and Sara will make excellent additions to the leadership team, helping to further bridge the gap between branches and the board.”
Railton added: “I am delighted to be welcoming Brian and Sara to the board. We have an ambitious five-year Transformation Plan for the Post Office and both will bring critical real-life experience to the role helping us deliver a ‘New Deal for Postmasters’ that will also benefit the nine million customers that visit our branches every week and who rely on the essential products and services postmasters and their teams provide.”
Following an induction and training programme, covering the corporate and legal aspects of fulfilling the duties of a non-executive director, Smith took up his position on the Board on 4 December and Barlow will take up her position on the board on 28 January 2025.
Current postmaster non-executive director Elliot Jacobs tenure on the board has been extended to bring business continuity to the board alongside Smith and Barlow. Saf Ismail has stepped down from the board.
