Legislative Compliance in East Africa: Navigating a Dynamic Regulatory Landscape

East Africa, one of the continent’s fastest-growing regions, offers vast business opportunities, but with growth comes the challenge of navigating constantly evolving legal frameworks. For businesses looking to operate successfully across the region, understanding and adhering to these frameworks is crucial. Diverse Legislative Environment East Africa comprises several countries, each with distinct legal and regulatory […]

Essential Insights for Aspiring NEDs: The Importance of Due Diligence

Becoming a non-executive director (NED) often feels like the pinnacle of a professional career….and the anticipation as one starts positioning oneself through focused personal branding, intelligent networking and relevant director training can be quite heady.  The title brings boardroom access, the chance to influence strategy, and a certain prestige. However, being an NED is more […]

Robust Conversation in the Boardroom: Why It Doesn’t Always Mean the Absence of Groupthink

In the boardroom, “robust conversation” is often seen as a sign of healthy governance and decision-making. As a Board Advisor, I have frequently heard directors and CEOs use the term “robust conversation” to describe the engagement and discussions that are part of their decision-making process. After all, it suggests open, active, and sometimes intense discussions […]

Director Delinquency Decimates Reputation and Value

Imagine waking up to the news that a top executive at your favourite brand has been embroiled in a scandal.  Your trust in that brand takes a hit, doesn’t it?  This scenario isn’t just a nightmare for customers and consumers; it’s a devastating reality for businesses.  Director delinquency – a term encompassing a range of […]

No Unbearable Lightness of Being a Director

People are going deaf because music is played louder and louder, but because they’re going deaf, it has to be played louder still.  I used to edit out all of the Latin words in the contracts that I was asked to review. My view was that you could say what you meant in English without […]

Six Key Qualities Required of an Astute Chairperson

Before going into the details of the specific traits of a great chairperson, it is important to understand what the role of a chairperson is and isn’t.  The chairperson should be the leader of the board; the leader of a team of equals who works closely with the leader of the operational team (CEO or […]

The Too-Much-Time Trap

I believe that the following will resonate with you: The Practice Last week Sunday, I was reading the news and saw that the petrol price would increase substantially on the Tuesday night at midnight as it does in South Africa. I thought that I must make use of the opportunity to save myself a bit […]

Directors, Pay Attention: Direct Well, or Else!

A recent finding against a group of directors in a South African legal firm is a very good reminder of the scope and extent of the role and responsibility of directors in governing companies. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) found that all implicated directors held full responsibility for the financial misdeeds. despite claims of […]

Festive Season Reads

As the year starts winding down and we find time to disengage, it is always good to keep the mental processes turning over with some reading that helps us to reflect, review and anticipate. The suggested books in this blog are ones that I have found thought-provoking, inspiring and insightful. They are all, except maybe […]

An Accreditation Milestone for the Applied Directorship Programme

Now in its sixth year of being facilitated, our Applied Directorship Programme has been accredited! Close to 600 aspirant and experienced board members have joined us on the journey to becoming high-performing directors and have used this knowledge to create value wherever they find themselves. The Technical Detail The 11-month programme is accredited with Services […]