SELVAN PILLAY

I OFFER MY SERVICE AS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN COMPANIES - AS A 'NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'

WHAT IS A “NON-EXEC”?

A NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (NON-EXEC) IS A PART-TIME ROLE AS OPPOSED TO THE NORMAL FULL-TIME DIRECTORS OF A COMPANY.

THEY NORMALLY BRING SKILLS, CONTACTS AND GUIDANCE TO BUSINESSES. ALTHOUGH PART-TIME THEY ARE LEGALLY AS MUCH DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY AS THE FULL-TIME ONES.THEY WILL NOT HOWEVER HAVE ANYONE REPORTING TO THEM AND WILL NOT GENERALLY BE INVOLVED IN THE DAY-TO-DAY RUNNING OF THE BUSINESS.

AREN’T THEY JUST FOR LARGE COMPANIES?

TRADITIONALLY IT HAS BEEN THE LARGER COMPANY OR PLC THAT HAS HAD NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND A MAJOR PART OF THEIR JOB COMPRISED CORPORATE GOVERNANCE. HOWEVER, MORE LATELY, SMALLER COMPANIES AND EVEN START-UP BUSINESSES HAVE TAKEN ON NON-EXECS TO FILL OUT THEIR MANAGEMENT TEAM WITH EXPERIENCED AND WELL CONNECTED BUSINESS PEOPLE.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

FIRSTLY YOU NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT NON-EXECS ARE PART OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM, THEREFORE NOT THE SAME AS CONSULTANTS OR EVEN MENTORS, HOWEVER JUST LIKE CONSULTANTS

& MENTORS, THEY WILL BRING BENEFITS IN TERMS OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. NON-EXECS CAN PROVIDE EXPERTISE THAT YOU NORMALLY COULD NOT AFFORD TO BUY.

THEY ARE MORE COMMITTED THAN CONSULTANTS OR PROFESSIONAL ADVISOR. ADDS CREDIBILITY TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM (ESPECIALLY HELPFUL TO GAIN FUNDING).

MAY HAVE CONTACTS THAT WOULD ASSIST WITH OBTAINING SALES OR IN UNDERSTANDING THE MARKET. MAY PURCHASE SHARES IN THE BUSINESS, OR HAVE ACCESS TO FUNDING SOURCES.

WILL BE A SOUNDING BOARDING FOR THE MD OR CEO. BRINGS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO BEAR WHEN LOOKING AT PROPOSED BUSINESS PLANS.

CAN PROVIDE CRUCIAL GUIDANCE AT CRITICAL STAGES OF A BUSINESS. FILL PARTICULAR SKILL GAPS WHICH THE OWNERS OR FOUNDERS OF A YOUNG COMPANY MAY HAVE.

HOW MUCH TIME DO THEY SPEND WITH THE BUSINESS?

OFTEN NON-EXECS WILL ALSO HAVE A FULL-TIME JOB, OR HAVE MORE THAN ONE NON-EXEC ROLE, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT A COMPETITOR THIS IS GOOD, BECAUSE IT IS THIS OUTSIDE KNOWLEDGE AND CONTACTS THAT YOU WILL FIND VALUABLE. GENERALLY YOU SHOULD EXPECT THEM TO BE PRESENT AT MONTHLY MANAGEMENT MEETINGS AND ON A FEW OTHER DAYS DURING THE YEAR, ON AVERAGE SAY 18 - 20 DAYS. THE ACTUAL TIME IS ENTIRELY UP TO YOURSELVES TO AGREE.

ROLE AS NED

FUNDAMENTALLY I PROVIDE A CREATIVE CONTRIBUTION AND IMPROVEMENT TO THE BOARD BY PROVIDING DISPASSIONATE AND OBJECTIVE CRITICISM. MY ROLE MAY CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE ORGANISATION, THOUGH USUALLY NOT INVOLVED IN THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY BUT MONITOR THE EXECUTIVE ACTIVITY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

REFERRED TO AS EXTERNAL DIRECTOR; WITH STATURE AND EXPERIENCE WHO CAN ACT AS BOTH A SOURCE OF WISE INDEPENDENT ADVICE AND A CHECK ON ANY WILDER

ELEMENTS ON A BOARD.

ACCORDING TO THE INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS, I'AM EXPECTED TO FOCUS ON BOARD MATTERS AND NOT STRAY INTO ‘EXECUTIVE DIRECTION,’ THUS PROVIDING AN INDEPENDENT VIEW OF THE COMPANY THAT IS REMOVED FROM DAY-TO-DAY RUNNING.

AS NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I'AM APPOINTED TO BRING TO THE BOARD:

· INDEPENDENCE; · IMPARTIALITY ;· WIDE EXPERIENCE; · SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE; · PERSONAL QUALITIES.

TOGETHER WITH THE FIVE IMPORTANT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF BALANCE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS A WHOLE AS WELL AS COMMITMENT, PERCEPTION AND A BROAD PERSPECTIVE OF THE AREA OR INDUSTRY.

MORE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES MAY INCLUDE:

· CONTRIBUTING TO THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY;

· EFFICIENTLY SOLVING PROBLEMS THAT ARISE;

· COMMUNICATING WITH THIRD PARTIES;

· ENSURING ALL THE AUDIT REQUIREMENTS ARE SATISFIED;

· REMUNERATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS;

· APPOINTING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MY KEY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

· STRATEGY: NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS SHOULD CONSTRUCTIVELY CHALLENGE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGY. AS AN EXTERNAL MEMBER OF AN ORGANISATION, THE NED MAY HAVE A CLEARER OR WIDER VIEW OF POSSIBLE FACTORS AFFECTING THE COMPANY AND ITS BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, MORE-SO THAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS.

· PERFORMANCE: NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS SHOULD SCRUTINIZE THE PERFORMANCE OF MANAGEMENT IN MEETING-AGREED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND MONITORING AND, WHERE NECESSARY, REMOVING SENIOR MANAGEMENT, AND IN SUCCESSION PLANNING.

· RISK: NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS SHOULD SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT FINANCIAL INFORMATION IS ACCURATE AND THAT FINANCIAL CONTROLS AND SYSTEMS OF RISK MANAGEMENT ARE ROBUST AND DEFENSIBLE.

· PEOPLE: NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS CAN BENEFIT THE COMPANY'S AND BOARD'S EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH OUTSIDE CONTACTS AND OPINIONS. HELPING THE BUSINESS AND BOARD CONNECT WITH NETWORKS OF USEFUL PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS BECOME AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION FOR THE NED TO FULFILL.

I ALSO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT VIEWS ON:

· RESOURCES

· APPOINTMENTS

· STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

BUSINESS STRATEGIST

*WE OFFER GREAT BUSINESS & MARKETING ADVICE, FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, MARKETING STRATEGIES, BRANDING, INCLUDING PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

NATURE OF THE WORK & LEADING STRATEGY

BEING A STRATEGIST IS A WAY OF SEEING, A WAY OF THINKING, A WAY OF ACTING.

BEING LEADER STRATEGISTS, WE BEAR OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT A COMPANY IS AND WHAT A COMPANY DOES. OUR GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT A

BUSINESS/PROJECT.

WILL NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND EMBRACE STRATEGY.

WE LOOK AT THE CONNECTIONS ACROSS ACTIVITIES IN THE COMPANY/PROJECT

ARE THEY DESIGNED TOWARD A COMMON END?

ARE THEY MUTUALLY REINFORCING?

TIGHTLY CONNECTED?

IN AN EVEN LARGER VIEW, HOW DOES THE COMPANY/PROJECT FIT IN ITS MARKET?

WOULD IT BE MISSED IF IT WERE GONE? & WHY?

WE MAKE PROJECTS OR COMPANY STRATEGY EASY & TRANSPARENT.

OUR LEADING STRATEGY REQUIRES CONFRONTING FOUR QUESTIONS:

WHAT DOES MY PROJECT/ORGANIZATION BRING TO THE WORLD?

DOES THAT DIFFERENCE MATTER?

IS SOMETHING ABOUT IT SCARCE AND DIFFICULT TO IMITATE?

ARE WE DOING TODAY WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO MATTER TOMORROW?