- 19 August 2026
Congratulations to everyone who has passed our recent exams, it has been a pleasure to see so many of you celebrating on LinkedIn. A level and GCSE results have landed at a similar time and offer a reminder of the challenges faced by those entering the job market and seeking to build a fulfilling career.
This is a live issue concerning young people, employers, politicians and parents. At the Institute, we recognise the importance of helping the next generation understand what governance can offer them, which is why I was delighted to be able to meet a group of graduates and early career professionals at our Governance Discovery Day held at Aviva’s offices in Holborn, London.
It was really inspiring to be around such a diverse group of highly motivated individuals wanting to learn more about what a career in governance can offer and the benefits of being part of the profession. The day included interactive workshops such as an AGM planning challenge, career talks and networking opportunities as well as the chance to connect with seasoned governance professionals keen to talk about their own careers and the opportunities their CGI qualification had afforded them. I want to thank our partners at Aviva, Flex Legal and Ingen Partners for their collaborative efforts to provide such a showcase for a governance career.
We are partnering with the Football Association to host our next discovery day at Wembley Stadium, and I would encourage you to suggest colleagues or students who you think would benefit from attending the session. Find out more and sign up to participate via our Governance Discovery Day website.
Taking the governance conversation global
At the event I emphasised the portability of our Chartered qualification and how it is a gateway to working in more than 80 countries, a fact that clearly resonated with the delegates. CGI’s international reach and global efforts to promote good governance worldwide will be highlighted at the upcoming CGI Global Governance summit, taking place in Kuala Lumpur on 22 and 23 September 2026.
Hosted by CGI Malaysia (formerly MAICSA), this is the institute’s inaugural global conference and it will be delivered in a hybrid format, enabling both in-person and virtual participation.
The two-day event boasts a rich programme covering areas from corporate governance reforms, the role of the governance professional in supporting boards to navigate geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain disruption and economic instability to board effectiveness, ethical culture, shareholder activism and sustainability reporting.
I am looking forward to chairing the panel on Governance of Digital Technology, which will explore one of the most significant challenges facing organisations today. Our session will examine how boards can govern AI and digital transformation responsibly, manage cybersecurity and operational risks, plus address the impact of technological change on employees, culture and organisational strategy. I welcome the opportunity to contribute and hear perspectives on how these challenges are being met in different jurisdictions and sectors.
Bringing the profession together this autumn
Closer to home, our excellent events programme accelerates from 10 September with the Subsidiary Governance Conference in London. The agenda includes working with corporate service providers, subsidiary governance champions, regulatory developments and simplifying corporate structures. In October, Governance North will take place at Manchester’s iconic Midland Hotel. It will begin with a fascinating keynote by Cub Llewelyn-Davies from the National Cyber Security Centre about embedding cyber resilience into governance and decision-making. Further dates for your diary include Governance Guernsey in October and one of the highlights of the governance calendar, the CGI Annual Awards 2026, on 3 November.
The ProShare community also gathered this month for the annual SIP and SAYE report launch, combining new insight into employee share plans with discussion of AI’s growing role in the sector. ProShare is part of CGI and acts as a focal point for the UK’s employee share ownership community.
I will be making the case for a career in governance at every event between now and November. I hope you will make it too. If you know a young person weighing up their options this summer, tell them what the profession can offer.
If you know a young person weighing up their options this summer, I encourage you to promote governance as a great career choice and signpost them to the CGI careers page.