The Equal Experts trustee panel is an important part of how we’ll operate as a network-owned business, ensuring that the company continues to operate in the best interests of the network, its customers and employees. 

At a recent panel at the Equal Experts annual conference, EE’s co-founder Thomas de Cad’Oro Granier talked about how the panel will work, and its key responsibilities. In this post we introduce the people who will form the panel alongside Thomas and Ryan Sikorsky, EE’s other co-founder: 

• Alun Coppack, EE employee and Trustee
• Sreekandh Balakrishnan (Sree), CTO at Travelopia and Trustee
• Sofie Jenson, an associate at EE and Trustee

The Employee:
Alun Coppack, EE employee and trustee 

As a ten year veteran of Equal Experts, Alun says he was surprised – but very happy – to be invited to join the trustee panel. “EE is a great place to work and I see the job of the panel as ensuring that continues,” he says. 

Alun figures what he’ll bring to the new panel is his own brand of direct question. No matter what project he’s involved with, Alun wants to understand what we’re trying to achieve, how the team can move the needle, and how they’ll know if they have succeeded. 

Being a trustee is a part-time role and Alun is keen to ensure the panel doesn’t make an industry out of itself. “The trust wasn’t created because the company is flawed and we’re trying to turn it around,” he says. “The idea is to ensure all the good things about the company continue to happen.” 

Alun’s passion for travel brought him to the UK almost 20 years ago and he’s now busy with a young family. Travel might be more complicated with two young kids, but Alun’s still planning a family trip to Greece in October, where he’ll indulge his second passion – oenology. “It’s the study of wine,” he explains. “It blows my mind that you can have two bottles of Chardonnay from the sample place, but depending on how they’re stored or fermented, and when they’re harvested, they taste completely different! “

The Customer:
Sreekandh Balakrishnan (Sree), Technology Director – Innovation

Sreekandh Balakrishnan, better known as Sree, has been an Equal Experts customer for a number of years in his role as director of technology and innovation with Travelopia. 

Sree actually volunteered to join the panel after hearing about EE’s plans to become employee-owned. “I was talking with Thomas about EE’s strengths and areas of improvement and we started talking about the Employee Owned Trust (EOT),” says Sree. “I was in awe, and my belief in that mission inspired me to nominate myself to represent the voice of the customer on the trustee panel.”

Offer accepted, Sree was appointed to the trust panel, and he’s excited to work with fellow panel members to define and evolve the panel’s strategy. “Just like our Agile delivery process, we’re taking an incremental approach to progress, and it’s important to support the existing exec leadership team to provide a smooth transition to the EOT structure,” he says.

When he’s not creating exceptional products for Travelopia’s portfolio of brands, Sree says he dances the delicate dance of parenting two children. “I’m always looking for ways to give them the best education and experiences – it’s a quest that keeps me awake at night,” he says. The counterpoint to that comes from the mountains. “The scenic landscapes and serene yoga practices fill my cup with the energy I need for the hustle of daily life,” says Sree. “The mountains give me renewed purpose and I’m ready to take on whatever the world has in store.” 

The Associate:
Sofie Jenson, delivery lead and trustee 

Sofie hasn’t quite mastered the Tottenham twang after living in London for most of her adult life, but she has made a huge impression in seven years as an Equal Experts associate. 

The Danish native works with some of EE’s biggest customers, including Pret, Open University and Merlin Entertainment. “Most recently I’ve focused on transformation, and what makes me tick is working with organisations that want to change their mindset,” she says. “It’s possible to create great products or services, generate revenue, be efficient and have a healthy work culture!” 

Sofie was thrilled when EE announced the move to an employee trust, and feels honoured to take on the trustee role. “I feel a great responsibility to get it right, and do justice for all my current and future EE network colleagues,” she says. 

When not on the end of a video call, Sofie’s passion is travel and learning about new cultures. “My happy place is probably in the mountains somewhere, ideally hiking up a hill with my family or heading down the mountain on my bike!”