20 May 2019
Cyber Risk: A Risk For All Board Members
Cyber Risk is ever-present for companies and organisations regardless of size, sector or geography. And quite rightly, Cyber Risk features prominently on the Board Agenda. As Fidelio supports Chairs with regard to Board composition and Boards effectiveness, we see Cyber Risk raising two key questions for Boards: Does the Board have the requisite skills to […]
10 May 2019
Fidelio Table Talk – Boards, Change and Shareholder Revolts
Boards confront substantial change with increasing pressure coming from the company’s own shareholders. Fidelio’s Table Talk explores the source and mechanism of that pressure; we argue that Boards can turn shareholder revolt to advantage. With the AGM season now in full swing, shareholders are being asked to vote on a variety of resolutions. Though full 2019 […]
03 May 2019
Fidelio Table Talk – The Value Equation for Boards
The scrutiny of Boards has seldom been greater. As such, Corporate Governance is often seen purely as a regulatory and compliance overlay, and the Board/Supervisory Board as a form of insurance against undesirable outcomes. And yet Corporate Governance Codes are more ambitious in the value contribution they expect from Boards: “A successful company is led […]
12 Apr 2019
“A Seat at the Table” – Old Truths and New Positives
The seventh iteration of Fidelio’s “A Seat at the Table” Programme for senior female executives and Directors will take place on 24th – 25th September 2019 at Hever Castle, Kent, UK. Are we now at an inflection point in gender balance and increased diversity on Boards? Certainly when Fidelio established “A Seat at the Table” […]
05 Apr 2019
Complexity and the Role of the Chair – A Masterclass
Against a backdrop of unprecedented disruption (in particular in the UK), today’s Chair must navigate exceptional complexity. Chairs are under pressure as never before: investors want financial performance customer expectations are constantly and rapidly changing the regulatory overlay is increasing, and not to be ignored There’s a clear trend towards increased stakeholder involvement in business […]
25 Feb 2019
Fidelio Table Talk – Chair Succession Under Scrutiny
Over recent years Boards and Search firms have seen a sharp increase in scrutiny relating to Board appointments, driven both by independence and diversity requirements. That same degree of scrutiny is now being applied to Chair appointments. In Fidelio’s Board Search and Evaluation practice, for example, we‘re already seeing the implications of changing UK corporate governance […]
08 Feb 2019
Fidelio Table Talk – The Governance of Search: Effective Process; Good Outcomes
Board composition is of critical importance for shareholders and stakeholders. How Board composition and Board appointments are achieved is also attracting attention. This Table Talk reviews the link between a robust Search process on the one hand, and attracting strong Board candidates and embedding diversity and independence on the other. It’s clear from Fidelio’s Board […]
08 Jan 2019
Fidelio Table Talk – Don’t Despair of the Board Pipeline
There’s much talk about the quality and robustness of the pipeline to the Boardroom. Getting this right should be a priority for shareholders and stakeholders but building the pipeline has clearly not always attracted the attention it should have, particularly given increasing expectations for Boards of corporates and non-profits alike. Therefore, in the latter half of 2018, Fidelio […]
14 Dec 2018
Fidelio Table Talk – “Driving Change in Society, Business & Politics: 1918 – 2018”
A hundred years to the day, 14th December 1918, that (some) women in the UK first cast their vote, Fidelio and guests were welcomed by the Museum of London to celebrate the achievements of the suffragettes. Our prism was the Museum of London’s excellent suffragette collection and our narrator the Museum of London Curator of Social […]
11 Dec 2018
Fidelio Table Talk – “Independent Directors for Asset Managers – Is the Industry Ready?”
Shareholders are increasingly holding Boards to account with regard to Corporate Governance, and regulators are now doing the same for fund managers themselves. In April of this year, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority published its Policy Statement PS18/8 which contains a number of measures aimed at improving value for money for investors. From a governance point of view the most significant change is a new requirement that money managers (in FCA parlance “Authorised Fund Managers”, or […]
04 Dec 2018
Press Release – Fidelio Accredited by the Hampton-Alexander Review
Fidelio is delighted to have been accredited by the Hampton-Alexander Review for the second year running for our contribution to increasing gender diversity on Boards and leadership teams in the category ‘Beyond FTSE350’. This reflects our successful track record in Search in the UK and internationally, as well as Fidelio’s acclaimed “A Seat at the Table” programme, which supports senior women to their […]
03 Dec 2018 Table Talk
Fidelio Table Talk – “Cars, Governance & Major Surprises”
On the week beginning 19th November it was clear to all living in the UK that the political and business headlines for the week ahead would be dominated by Brexit. Imagine our surprise when the next day a completely different headline was splashed across the front page of the business press: the Chairman of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi […]
24 Jan 2018 Table Talk
Fidelio Board Breakfast – "Effective Chairman, Effective Board"
As Fidelio builds Boards fit for the future through Search, Development and Evaluation, we are keenly aware of key challenges on the Board Agenda. In response, Fidelio’s Board Breakfasts bring together Chairmen, Non-Executive and Executive Directors from a range of sectors and geographies to explore pressing, contemporary topics that are highly relevant for the Boardroom and for Board […]
17 Oct 2017 Table Talk
Fidelio Board Breakfast – "The Board and Wellbeing"
In Fidelio’s work building Boards and leadership teams we are keenly aware of key challenges on the Board Agenda. In response, Fidelio’s Board Breakfasts bring together Chairmen, Non-Executive and Executive Directors from a range of sectors and geographies to explore pressing, contemporary topics that are highly relevant for the Boardroom and for Board effectiveness. One […]
17 Oct 2017 Table Talk
Fidelio Board Breakfast – “Boards, Strategy and China”
While Boards in the West have been preoccupied with Brexit, the unexpected Trump victory and increased anti-business sentiment, China continues to be a major driver of global growth and is expected to become the largest economy in the world by 2020. Through Search and Development Fidelio has a clear focus on building Boards fit for the future. […]
06 Jul 2017 Table Talk
Fidelio Board Breakfast – “Activism and the Board”
On 13th June Fidelio held a Board breakfast entitled ‘Activism and the Board’ with Cas Sydorowitz (CEO, Georgeson), Behdad Alizadeh (Co-Founder and Managing Partner, AltaOne Capital) and Nick Paris (Portfolio Manager, LIM Advisors). With shareholder activism on the rise in Europe, this was a timely and lively discussion, which explored the activist agenda, how Boards […]
