Independent Directors: A necessity or a regulatory tick-box?

In this era of increased focus on diversity on boards, it is important to view having independent directors as a necessity rather than a box to tick. Their importance is further brought to the fore in shareholder-controlled boards, where they can offer views and positions contrary to shareholders and management. They also ensure that the […]

Board Diversity: Ensuring Greater Female Representation

A number of considerations need to be made in determining the composition of the board of a company. These considerations include but are not limited to the qualifications of the members, skills, experience, age, race, gender and independence of the members of the board. Lately, there has been a significant push for both advocacy and […]

Determining Director Fees

Non-executive director fees are the fees paid to persons who serve on a company’s board of directors in a non-executive position, and are usually paid on a retainer basis. These directors often do not participate in day-to-day operations, but instead give strategic counsel and supervision. Many aspects can impact the level of fees paid to […]

Getting Real Value from Alternate Directors

It is common in larger and listed companies to have alternate directors. The main director (for purposes of this article, we will use the example of a shareholder who is also a director) is listed on the relevant government agency (in the case of South Africa, this would be the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission). […]

People Considerations when Creating a Board

If the person you are looking to appoint has these characteristics, you are already halfway to building a high-performance board.