If you are looking for new ways to drive innovation, profitability and diversity, we can help.

Many years of working with a wide range of SMEs, AIM listed and privately-owned businesses have given us unique, first- hand insights into the challenges faced by CEOs and Chairs. These can range from the need to improve strategic operational delivery, to develop high performance teams, to expand into new markets, to innovate through cross-industry learning and to maximise opportunities for enhanced commercial performance. Drivers for ‘soft-change’ may include increased social responsibility, and injecting fresh thinking and diversity in the boardrooms of the future.

What we do

We take a detailed brief from the potential ‘host board’, discussing their business, projections for the future and what skillsets would be beneficial to their board going forward.  We then meticulously source an employed senior executive from a large corporation with that specific skillset and match them as a ‘Board Observer’* on the host board for 12 months.  The Board Observer gains experience of exposure to a real commercial boardroom, and the host board gets a wonderful opportunity to have new expertise and a fresh pair of eyes.  Hear from some of our successful matches here!

What we are looking for

We are looking for companies with a turnover of more than £1m p.a., and interested in talking with a wide range of industries, products and services to become host boards. The role of a host board is to offer a senior executive from a non-conflicting industry the opportunity to join your board as a Board Observer completely free of charge for 12 months, and the matching must work for all parties.

It is really important to note:

  • these executives are fully supported and funded by their own organisations, who in turn benefit from their executive’s external experience as part of their personal development, so there is no cost to your board (there may be some small, pre-agreed travel expenses to be covered).
  • the executives are fully supported throughout the 12 month programme by the Boardroom Ready team, including their own NED coach.

For a full list of our successful matches, and for more information, download the Executive Summary above and contact Heather White on:

Email: heather@smarter-networking.com Tel: +44 (0)777 585 5764

* The role is for a ‘board observer’ and is a non-paid role. To ensure that there is no confusion about their legal status, they are not appointed, nor do they act as a director, nor are they paid. They have no voting rights, do not instruct or direct the board in any way and are not part of the formal decision-making process. They do not form part of the quorum of a board meeting and are bound by the host board’s confidentiality rules. They can offer insights and opinions based on their expertise or experiences.

Download an Executive Summary