At ICSA, the chartered membership and qualifying body for professionals working in governance, risk and compliance, including company secretaries, we believe that governance is a board level responsibility and, as our recent research with Henley Business School shows, the primary responsibility for the implementation of good governance practices lies with the company secretary.
On 21 October, ICSA is coming to The Midland Hotel in Manchester to host a briefing and networking event for senior professionals in the North West region. ICSA Chief Executive Simon Osborne will share the findings of the Henley report and explore the value of the company secretary and their impact in the boardroom with Greg McMahon, Company Secretary and General Counsel of leading restaurant and pub company Mitchells & Butlers.
“Company secretaries hold leadership positions dealing with complexity, confusion, and ambiguity, all of which need resolutions that satisfy the elected board and appointed executive,” according to Professor Andrew Kakabadse, lead author of the research. Nevertheless, as Simon Osborne points out “One of the challenges the company secretarial profession faces is that the role is frequently misunderstood. As a recent article in The Sunday Times pointed out, company secretaries have the skills to be good non-executive directors but are usually overlooked for the role. We hope that this event will help to change people’s perceptions of the contribution a company secretary can make.”
The event will be of particular interest to chief executives, chairmen, risk and compliance officers, finance and HR directors and company secretaries. “We will offer practical insights into how to get the most out of the company secretary role in your organisation, the impact on the role of changes in your sector and the effect they are having for all players in the boardroom,” says Kate. “This is not merely an opportunity for company secretaries, rather we would like to bring together all of the key players in the governance community to discuss these findings and to consider how this will impact the wider business, not-for-profit and public sector environment.”
Guests will be welcomed as of 6pm for a 6.30pm start and the conversation will continue informally over a drink following the presentation - an ideal opportunity to meet colleagues and find out more about improving governance and building trust in organisations. The event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Places can be booked online here.
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For further information, please contact Maria Brookes, Media Relations Manager:
mbrookes@icsa.org.uk
+44 (0)20 7612 7072
+44 (0)7890 649 143
Notes to Editors:
- ICSA (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators) is the chartered membership and qualifying body for professionals working in governance, risk and compliance, including company secretaries. Our members work in all sectors and at every level of seniority. With over 120 years of experience, we champion high governance standards by providing qualifications, training, high-quality guidance and support (including technical resources, publications and software), and through our work with regulators and policy makers.
Website: www.icsa.org.uk - For background information, or to download a copy of the research, visit: www.icsa.org.uk/cosecreport
- Watch this video to hear Professor Andrew Kakabadse, of Henley Business School, discuss the Company Secretary Report's key findings:
