The non-executive role on subsidiary boards

  The non-executive role on subsidiary boards: this was the theme of the roundtable organised by NEDonBoard in March 2023. The objectives of roundtable discussions are to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for members to share their experience, build and nurture relationship with board level peers and advance governance practices.   Attendees: Susanne Alfs…

Boards must prepare for continual disruption from geopolitical incidents

  One year on from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is clear geopolitical uncertainty is here to stay. Boards should act by ensuring their organisations have robust scenario-planning processes in place. That is one of the key messages for boards coming out of the new Chartered IIA and Airmic report ‘Navigating Geopolitical Risk’. The…

The role of boards and NEDs in driving innovation

  In this blog, we explore the role of the board and non-executive directors in driving innovation. Innovation is important in the boardroom because it drives growth, competitiveness, and long-term success for the organisation. Innovation can be a key factor in determining the organisation’s ability to adapt to changing markets and customer needs, and to…

Financial lines insurance market: 2023 predictions

  Financial lines insurance market: what you need to know as a NED in 2023 Navigating today’s business environment is a huge task. Tightening regulations, increasing class action litigation, emerging technologies and increasing level of public and government scrutiny are all challenges presented to directors and officers. There are also emerging risks such as increasingly…

The role of the non-executive director

  In this blog, we remind you of important themes for non-executive directors that define the role and responsibilities of those serving on a board. Ensuring effective business governance. Non-executive directors play a key role in ensuring that a company has strong and effective governance and decision-making practices in place. This includes overseeing the work…

Cost-of-living crisis: NEDs need to bring all their experience to the boardroom

  The current economic climate is demanding more of management. Boards need to look to non-executive directors for guidance on handling these challenges, while thinking about taking opportunities. The final quarter of 2022 is seeing business squeezed by challenges in both supply and demand, and it looks likely that the UK will slip into recession by the end…

Identifying and managing conflicts of interest

  Conflicts of interest abound at board level. They are an important issue that all NEDs and boards have to handle. Conflicts distort decision-making and have the potential to undermine the integrity of boards. Recognising a conflict can be more complicated than you might think.   Guest speakers James Whitaker co-leads Mayer Brown’s global Environmental,…

The board journey to frame, implement and monitor purpose

The board journey to frame, implement and monitor purpose: best practices and lessons learned   In September 2022, NEDonBoard, together with Grant Thornton, hosted a hybrid session. We explored some board level perspectives, experiences, best practices, and lessons learned around purpose and strategy. We also covered the journey of framing, implementing, and monitoring purpose. Sarah Bell,…

Fit-for-purpose: best practices to amend your articles of association

  Reviewing and amending articles of association: best practices and learnings from the NEDonBoard community In August 2022, NEDonBoard hosted a roundtable to draw on the experience of its community with regard to reviewing and amending articles of association. The discussion was chaired by Nicky Heathcote, portfolio NED and board chair.   Introduction Articles of…

Digital transformation: an overview for board members from a CIO

  What is digital transformation? Digital transformation certainly isn’t taking existing business processes and automating them; that is called workflow or process automation. Similarly, it isn’t simply the migration of old systems to new(er) systems. Both activities may have a value but aren’t as beneficial to the business as digital transformation.   Digital Transformation involves…