Over the last few years the climate in which companies operate and the demand for better and more transparent
corporate governance have impacted on companies both in the United States and Europe. The well publicized problems
of large corporations in North America and Europe has refocused attention on corporate governance and the independence
of directors, but is only accelerating a trend that has been present for some years. While there are different
stages of development in different countries, there is an underlying trend to appoint independent directors
to boards who can bring their experience to bear and help the executive team, while at the same time ensuring
extremely high and transparent standards of corporate governance. New requirements, which take the appointment
of independent director well beyond the use of personal or company networks does mean that boards and appointment
committees are increasingly requiring search and selection for independent and non-executive directors to be
carried out at arms length and in a rigorous and competitive fashion.
The Need for Professional Consultants
Alexander Hughes can ensure a professional process for this recruitment by identifying genuinely independent
directors who have no links to the existing executive committee and by establishing in a discreet but rigorous
way any areas of potential conflict of interest that might exist. Similarly, there is a need to identify those
suitably qualified and experienced candidates who have the time and availability to contribute to the overall
board and executive team.
The process will include:
1.
A full briefing on the requirements of the role and its interaction with other members of the board.
This would necessitate discussions with several board directors.
2.
Agreeing a full candidate specification before the search was commenced.
3.
Thorough reference checking and evaluation.
4.
A rigorous and transparent process, which the board and appointments committee can refer to.
Our Experience
The professional search consultants at Alexander Hughes have the experience of recruiting non-executive directors
and chairmen for a wide variety of industries and in some cases they have personal experience of operating as
independent or non-executive directors themselves. In short, Alexander Hughes guarantees access to the highest
qualified candidates across the globe.
Alexander Hughes offers:
• Thorough briefing on specific position, looking to complement the existing Board.
• Breadth of thinking and diversity of candidates.
• Access to highest qualified candidates - globally, and the ability to attract them to the task.
• Transparency of process.
For more information, please consult our Board Services Sector of Excellence.
