Conference Agenda

8.30 - 9.00 Registration, Coffee and Exhibition
9.00 - 9.20 Opening remarks - Conference Chairman Murray Steele
9.20 - 9.50

Risk: Friend or Foe?
Risk is part of corporate life. A business that never takes any risks will be stultified. In order to grow any business, acceptable risks need to be taken. But what is an acceptable risk? How can boards identify and manage their exposure to risk?
Paul Moxey, Head of Corporate Governance, Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA).
9.50 - 10.30 Improving Board Effectiveness
The overwhelming conclusion from both the Walker Review and the FRC review of the Combined Code was that behaviour in the boardroom is the key issue. But what does good boardroom behaviour look like? How can a board ensure that they are operating effectively? What’s the real benefit of having an externally facilitated review as required now under the UK Corporate Governance Code at least once every three years?
Seamus Gillen, Director of Policy, Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators (Chairman); Ali Gill, CEO of Crelos and Director, Bvalco; plus other panellists TBC
10.30 - 11.00 Networking coffee break
11.00 - 11.40  The Role of the Chair
It is increasingly accepted that a good chairman is absolutely key to a well-run board. This session will outline the role of the Chair, what makes a good chair and crucially how to make sure you have in place a good succession plan for their replacement.
Kit Bingham, Principal, Board Practice, Odgers Berndtson plus panellists TBC
11.40 - 12.20 Baubles, bidets or serious assets?
What price the non-executive director? How to get the best value out of your non-execs, looking at appointment, induction, development and training.
Helen Pitcher, Chairman IDDAS; Jonathan Cohen, Chairman, Savile Group plus panellists TBC
12.20 - 13.15 Networking Lunch
13.15 - 14.10 Key Note Address – The HBOS Story and the Lessons Learned
The story of a man in a rowing boat trying to slow down an oil tanker
Paul Moore ex-head of Group Regulatory Risk at HBOS.
14.10 -15.20 Talking the Talk
Like it or not, corporate responsibility is front-page news. This is the message getting through to companies as matters encompassing society, the environment and other stakeholders are becoming more vital to business in today’s world. What do boards need to think about, what are some boards already doing, what investors want to see and how boards should be reporting on it.
Sallie Pilot, Black Sun Corporate Reporting plus panellists TBC
15.20 - 15.45  Networking Tea Break and Exhibition
15.45 - 16.15 Our People are our best resource – aren’t they?
Research has shown that good leadership and talent systems can enable organisations to perform 10 - 20% better than those without such systems in place. Top quartile performing companies have a higher focus on developing leadership than bottom quartile. What can boards do to make sure that they really are making the most of their key resource?
Presentation by Chris Roebuck, Visiting Professor of Transformational Leadership at Cass Business School
16.15 - 17.15  A Question of Remuneration
Executive pay needs to be sufficient to attract and retain top talent but not seen as excessive. It also needs to be structured to avoid short-term decision making. What does constitute a good remuneration package and what sort of things should the remuneration committee bear in mind when setting executive pay?
Sean O’Hare, Partner, Human Resource Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers plus panellists Robert Hardy, Charles Irby and Allen Powley
17.15 - 17.30 Closing remarks from the Conference Chairman
17.30 - 19.00 Networking drinks reception