About us

An independent Board of nine non-executive Commissioners and the Chief Executive govern Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC), with day-to-day management delegated to the Chief Executive and the Harbour Master.

The Commissioners are appointed on merit through an open recruitment process to provide the Commission with the professional skills and experience; to determine policy and guide business decisions of the organisation. The Commissioners are appointed for a term of three years and can usually serve two terms. A maximum of two additional Commissioners can be co-opted at any one time for specific purposes and serve for a period of 12 months.

The Chief Executive and the Commissioners carry out a periodic review of the professional skills and experience required to meet the changing demands of the Commission. This agreed list of skills and experience is compared against the existing balance of skills, experience and portfolio responsibilities of the current Board before agreeing any re-appointment of a Commissioner or advertising for a new appointment.

Each Commissioner appointment is made after a competitive and open selection process. The Commissioner selection panel is led by the Chairman of CHC but includes a stakeholder and an independent member, thereby ensuring that the balance of the selection panel is independent of the Commission. The Commissioners’ positions are voluntary, and they have agreed not to receive remuneration.