Institute of Directors offers Diversity Programme
Venkat Raman –
Do you believe that diversity can improve performance of boards of directors?
Do you have an impressive record in executive management and/or advisory role in respect of a company board?
Do you believe that you can be a good candidate to be appointed to the board of directors of NZX Company or a company of similar size?
Do you have the board material in you?
If the answer to the above questions is ‘Yes,’ you should then apply for a placement in the ‘Mentoring for Diversity Programme,’ of the Institute of Directors (IoD).
Applications will close on March 31, 2015, with the Programme commencing in July.
Gender equality
While the focus in previous years was on women to address the gender imbalance on boards, this year’s programme will be ‘inclusive’ to give credence to the belief that a board that offers different perspectives is more likely to consider a range of alternatives than any other board.
The programme will embrace diversity in its broadest sense, encompassing ethnicity, age, skillset and background, in addition to gender.
Gaining Skills
IoD Acting Chief Executive Simon Arcus said that the Programme aims to assist mentees to gain knowledge and skills, which will assist them in achieving director appointments particularly in large company environment.
“It also aims to increase the understanding of the mentees on how listed and large company boards work and enhance the connections between senior directors and chairmen, adding to the diversity of the director pool and making board-ready talent more visible,” he said.
He said that IoD is committed to diversity of thought, which can be achieved by devoting more attention to the composition of a board, its tenure rules and succession planning.
“The dividend that diversity pays is bringing different perspectives into New Zealand boardrooms and more robust decision-making, effective risk management and better company performance. Mentoring for Diversity helps to ensure that we have that diversity of perspectives coming through the talent pipeline,” Mr Arcus said.
Mentee recommends
Rachel Farrant, a mentee from the 2013 Programme, described it as ‘excellent,’ and said that her Mentor provided valuable insights into the workings of a large commercial environment.
“We talked a lot about his experiences, how he had worked through issues, and where else I could go to get resources. Certainly, I got some good, clear principles of things you should and should not do on boards. I also heard a lot of good war sort of stories – that was probably the best thing,” she said.
“The Programme enabled me to demonstrate a commitment to learning about governance. I encourage those complying with the eligibility criteria to apply,” she added.
Further details and application form can be obtained from www.iod.org.nz
Completed application forms with all details and documents should be sent on or before March 31, 2015 by email to mentoring@iod.org.nz
