Board Diploma
Board Diploma is an intensive board training programme developed in collaboration with our partners.
Want to upgrade your board governance skills?
The Board Diploma is an intensive training programme developed in collaboration with Spencer Stuart, Clyde & Co, Grant Thornton, and leading board members. All teaching is conducted by high-profile board members from the business community, and the programme is characterised by its focus on real-world examples and the practical aspects of board work.
The Board Diploma Programme gives you the tools and strategies you need to succeed and become an even better and effective board member. Our goal is to accelerate your journey towards excellence in board work, both professionally and personally. We know you need to be strongly poised to take on your board duties.
We have trained over 1,500 executives and board members with skills to deliver leadership excellence in the board room. The Board Diploma is the perfect opportunity if you would like to get a diploma to provide evidence of your skills – or if you need the right platform to pave the way to your first professional directorship.
Benefits:
- Upgrade your skills by interacting with leading board
experts - Acquire new knowledge of value-adding board work
- Avoid the pitfalls in board work
- Get a professional boost to the next step in your board
career - Strengthen your network and build new relationships in
board circles - Be challenged and inspired with the specially developed
Board Simulation game - Get a diploma to prove your skills and update your
board CV
Benefits to your company:
- Use of new knowledge and tools from the board programme
- Broader understanding of the company and its stakeholders
- A strengthened outside-in mindset
- A chance to make valuable contacts in the interests of the company
- Better understanding and cooperation with the company’s board of directors
- Stronger distance management to others from the executive board and board of directors
- New inspiration for the strategies the company can bring into play in its own organisation
“
Speaking about the topic of Strategy and Value Add
as a Board member, I mix theory, practical examples,
and a multi-layered case study to set the stage for an
in-depth and dynamic discussion with participants that
leverages their unique perspectives to create an enriching
experience.”
Jason Kothari, Business Leader & Advisor
“
Impressive, professional and well organised education with a high level of speakers.
A strong foundation for any board member.”
Fadi Maayta, Co-Founder & President, ANDS
Contents of programme
The programme is centered around the key themes and issues that you will encounter during your board work. We have customised the programme with the focus on practical and value-adding board work.
The approach is specific to your needs, focusing on how to solve your challenges and perform your duties on the board. Our goal is to strengthen your skills as an active board member.
We address the following topics
- The role of the board in the strategic process
- Capital structure and financing growth
- Recruitment for and evaluation of the board
- Financial management and reporting
- Reputation management and brand storytelling
- Business acquisitions and divestments
- Duties of/laws and regulations applying to the board
- Directors’ liability and risk management
- Relationship between board of directors/executive board/owners
- Latest board governance trends
- Q&A session
- A test of participant knowledge using the professional and well-orchestrated Board Simulation game
Board Simluation
We have developed a unique board simulator capable of testing your board governance skills. The exercise also allows you to explore and utilise the new tools presented to you during the course of the programme in a real-world environment.
By participating in the interactive simulation game of professional board work, you’ll be better equipped to discover, prioritise and manage the risks you will face as a professional board member, executive officer or shareholder who wants to exercise active ownership of the company.
You’ll put your skills to the test in a sophisticated case that involves a series of challenges designed to test the board’s competencies and enhance the ability to handle commercial, strategic, legal and financial challenges and dilemmas, coupled with the ability to communicate with management and the shareholders of the company.
Agenda
Day One
On day one, the foundation for your board work will be laid out. Experts from Clyde & Co and our accounting partner focus on the board’s responsibilities and financial roles. You will become well-acquainted with the board’s obligations, laws, regulations, risk management, financial management and reporting.
Once the legal and financial areas have been introduced, we will discuss the topic of value-creation board work. With the help of professional board members, we look at how you can create value in your board work in addition to reviewing finances and formalities.
Day Two
On day two, we focus on the various aspects of board work that you will encounter as a board member.
Professional board members and leading experts teach strategic process, growth financing, M&A, the board’s role in communication, board recruitment, evaluation and more.
Day Three
On day three, the participants are tested in The Board Simulation, a specially developed interactive professional board work simulation game. The Board Simulation is set up as an advanced case with a series of challenges that put the participants’ skills to the test and sharpen the ability to handle commercial, strategic, legal and financial challenges and dilemmas.
The exercise also gives you the opportunity to put the new tools and strategies you have become acquainted with during the first two days to the test.
Speakers
Board Diploma sessions are delivered by leading advisers and experts, as well as a wide range of the most renowned chairmen and top executives. All speakers on the Board Diploma Programme have been specially selected for their considerable practical experience of the role of the board member and their value-adding board work. We have hand-picked the best experts in the industry to teach on the programme and we customize the list of speakers on your programme to fit your specific needs and offer the most effective training.
Jason Kothari, Business Leader & Advisor
Jason started his career as CEO of Valiant Entertainment, creating the third largest superhero entertainment company. Subsequently, he became CEO of Housing.com and led its transformation, resulting in a $350 million merger. He
was CSIO of Snapdeal, helping lead it’s turnaround. Past and current board / advisory roles: Emaar India (Board Director), Noon.com (ExComm), Balaji Telefilms (Board Director), Al Tibbi (Board Director), Softbank (Senior Advisor). Jason holds
a B.S. from Wharton.
Maria Gedeon, CMO & Board member
Maria is a strategic, transformative and tech-savvy retail and entertainment executive with 20 years of experience in building global brands in the Middle East. She founded Gedeon Mohr & Partners, a fully autonomous and decentralised consultancy. Previous roles include Chief Customer and Marketing Officer of the Chalhoub Group and various CMO positions at Majid Al Futtaim. Maria is an external advisor at Bain & Company and board member of the Marketing Society MiddleEast and Almentor.net.
Darren Yule, Partner, Grant Thornton
Darren has over 20 years experience in audit in the UK, Kuwait and the UAE across the Big 4. Darren is currently with Grant Thornton where he has been a partner for over 7 years. He is the lead audit engagement partner on 8 public listed companies which include a company with a listing on the US NASDAQ. Darren has extensive experience discussing audit and financial reporting issues at both the C-suite and Board level. Throughout his career, he has not only been exposed to clients from a variety of industries but also with companies from start up stage through to large established corporates.
Marco Boni, Managing Partner, Spencer Stuart
Marco Boni leads Spencer Stuart’s Middle East and North Africa business. He advises on boardroom governance best practices and specialises in chairman and non-executive director recruitment, as well as board assessments. He also recruits chief executive officers, chief financial officers and other senior-level executives for general management and key corporate roles. Marco is also a member of Spencer Stuart’s worldwide board of directors.
Rebecca Kelly, Partner, Clyde & Co
Rebecca specializes in regulatory and investigations, advising on corporate compliance, investigations, white-collar crime, and crisis management. She’s a Solicitor of the High Court of Australia and a Registered Foreign Lawyer rights of audience in the DIFC. With extensive experience in international litigation, arbitration, and crisis management in the Middle East, she’s recognized by Chambers Global, The Legal 500, and the Global Investigations Review. Rebecca advises on law reform and OSH obligations in the UAE and GCC.
Salmaan Khawaja, Partner, Grant Thornton
Salmaan is responsible for the strategy and growth of the M&A and Transactions Advisory team at Grant Thornton in the UAE and oversees corporate finance transactions involving acquisitions, valuations, fundraisings (debt and equity), IPOs, due diligence and financial modelling. He has advised corporates, private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth individuals across various sectors on complex buy-side and sell-side mandates.
Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, Chairman Global Council, SDG13
As SVP of Sustainability & Climate at ADNOC, Ibrahim oversees the Group’s sustainability strategy and performance, and ESG disclosures and reporting. Author of How to ‘Net’ Positive, a practical guide for companies embarking on their Net Positive journey, Ibrahim’s impactful leadership in sustainability has been recognized in the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Europe and the Middle East by Center for Sustainability and Excellence, US. Ibrahim has experience from various other roles, with examples as: Vice Chair, UAE Council of Climate Change and Environment launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Member of World Economic Forum.
Ulrik Nottelmann, Managing Director, UNSC
Ulrik Nottelmann holds a Master of Laws degree and has for many years been engaged in providing advanced advice on the analysis and financing of insurance risks in major northern European companies. This experience is the basis for a number of engaging business games combining heavy theoretical content with practical dilemmas, which makes it much easier to remember and apply the theory in the day-to-day business. Topics include board responsibilities, M&As, IT, strategy, etc.
Darren Yule, Partner, Grant Thornton
Thomas Bay is experienced within the fields of transformation and growth, and has been working across Europe, Africa, Middle East, Far East and India in various of sectors with major brands, blue-chip corporations, diplomacy and start-ups, including: Pandora, Uhrenholt Emborg, Tempur-Pedic, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and more. He is currently Managing Director at ISS Middle East and a board member at several SME companies.
Roshanak Bassiri Gharb, Partner, Clyde & Co
Roshana is a dual-qualified Italian avvocato and solicitor of England and Wales, she advises local and international corporates, conglomerates, family businesses, and PE funds on public and private M&A, divestitures, joint ventures, restructuring, governance, and compliance. With expertise in four jurisdictions (the UAE, Italy, UK and Iran) she offers ongoing corporate governance guidance to PJSCs and regulated entities. Roshana is ranked as a Next Generation Partner by Legal 500, and holds a PhD from University of Padua.
Location
Kempinski Central Avenue Dubai,
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd,
Dubai, UAE
Dates
October 23rd to October 25th
Download Brochure and Articles
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