Board Effectiveness
Our Board Effectiveness solutions are fully customised and structured to be scalable from effective self-assessment to comprehensive external objective evaluation of the effectiveness of the Board, Committees and its Members.
Purposeful Board Renewal
Most Boards still follow a replacement strategy; our approach and software app allow Boards to aspire to, and plan for, a long-term future state related to strategic imperatives and short-term departures.
Strategic CEO Succession
Our philosophy is that CEO succession should start on the day of appointment and therefore should be based on proper process, with both an internal- and external view.
CEO & EXCO Evaluation
The full Board is accountable for the effectiveness of the CEO and the EXCO, therefore the whole Board should be involved in a structured way, especially regarding the non-financial aspects of the roles.
Board Advisory Services
Our extensive experience and insights allow us to assist Boards in all aspects of the challenges they are facing.
The Board Practice
The Board Practice is an international company with offices in South Africa, the Netherlands and Norway and strategic partners in the UK, Greece and Singapore with broad experience in consulting at Board and C-suite level, focusing on Board Effectiveness Evaluation and development programs, as well as strategic Board renewal and CEO succession planning.
The Board Practice is managed by an experienced team of experts led by Dr. Victor Prozesky, one of the most experienced facilitators in Board-level consulting globally.
We have substantial experience in assisting Boards with important issues facing them, such as Board renewal, CEO succession, coaching and education.
Our people also regularly contribute to conference proceedings and our research provides insights into the issues at Board level. Our full external Board Effectiveness program for assisting a Board in an evaluation program has been developed over the last 19 years.
The basic elements are integrated in close consultation to produce a unique process for the client, ensuring that the expected outcomes are achieved. Our focus is on the role of the Board to future-proof the Organisation, while taking care of its accountabilities.
Company Highlights
Global Footprint
Our assignments run across industries and across continents with some of the major international players within their respective fields.
Tailored Approach
We work closely with the Chair of the Board to tailor our approach to the specific needs and preferences of the client. Our credo is to demonstrate an understanding of business priorities and ensure attentiveness to Board issues with the greatest impact on the Organisation/Company’s stakeholders. Our ambition is to support the Board’s role as custodian of future prosperity.
Identify Strengths
Our contribution is to identify the Board’s competitive strengths, as well as areas of development. We typically define a two- to three years development plan and we monitor progress in cooperation with the Chair.
Honest Feedback
Our aim is to enthuse our clients by supplying honest and constructive feedback as well as practical guidance. Our clients invite frank and unbiased advice.
Forward Focus
The analysis we conduct is forward looking and targeted at strengthening the Board’s team effectiveness and ability to address main future business issues, to strengthen the Boards’ ability to shape the Organisation with creativity and courage.
Enhanced Compliance
Our services enhance the Company’s compliance profile with Authorities and Investors.
Interesting Reads: Articles and Interviews
Interview with Carla Mahieu
Top supervisory director Carla Mahieu previously held primarily HR roles in major companies such as Shell, Philips, and Aegon. As a supervisory director, she has developed a keen eye for talent management and succession planning. For Mahieu, these are ongoing processes which, despite its ever-increasing data-driven nature, demand humanity in equal measure. Strategic workforce planning enables organizations to prepare for various scenarios. ‘Perhaps we should, after all, formulate a number of different profiles for a future CEO.’ Find interview here.
Interview with Kuldip Singh
Kuldip Singh is No. 1 on the Next50-list of non-executive directors. His non-executive board memberships are impact-driven: ‘If you are active in one company you have an impact on that one company only and possibly to a small extent on the sector. It is much more interesting to take a broader approach.’ An open conversation about backbone, the importance of diversity and the power of digital transformations with an upcoming non-executive director who does not want to let go of the executive side. ‘Where and in what role can I achieve the most? I ask myself that question all the time.’ Find interview here.
Interview with Michiel Lap
It is not the increasing complexity that makes the work of executives and supervisory directors challenging these days, says multi-supervisory director Michiel Lap. Much more important, he believes, is the pace and scope of all the changes. ‘Being fully proficient at everything is impossible. Curiosity and willingness to learn are crucial, and supervisory directors must be able to assess whether they are not overlooking essential issues.’ Find interview here.
Interview with Pauline van der Meer Mohr
Pauline van der Meer Mohr has seen the inside of a considerable number of boardrooms over the past 15 years. But even though she belongs to the old guard, she is not afraid of modernization. She has no objection to a board that ‘ employs’ an AI device in addition to Supervisory Directors of flesh and blood. ‘ That could be very valuable.’ However, she does worry about (potential) colleagues who would no longer be interested in being a Supervisory Board member because of legalization. Find interview here.
Interview with Jeanine Helthuis
Jeanine Helthuis has substantial experience as an executive but nowadays dedicates her time exclusively to supervisory board positions. She notes that the members of these two bodies need each other and strengthen each other. ‘You consult with each other more, more frequent and in more depth about what governance, ESG, stakeholder interests, and digital developments mean for the company and its strategy.’ Find interview here.
Interview with Lynelle Bagwandeen
Group company secretary of global technology company Prosus, Lynelle Bagwandeen, observes the approval of deals and strategic decisions. As secretarial support to the board, she is able to contribute to smooth and considered decision-making. ‘As company secretary, you have to park your ego at the door.’ Find interview here.
Interview with Willem Cramer
Multi-Supervisory Board member Willem Cramer wants to bring the outside world into companies, ‘stir up’ the board and, above all, interpret the social noise – emphasizing that it is a mistake to operate too cautiously and want to avoid all risks. To keep an open mind, he deliberately chooses to supervise multiple companies: ’Those who focus too much on a single company may miss the external antennae. Find interview here.
Effective Boards in dealing with Difficult Situations
Effective boards can deal with difficult situations without straining collaborative relationships. They do not view assessment of their own effectiveness as a duty, but rather as a steppingstone towards better supervision. They also approach the succession of the CEO and non-executive directors themselves strategically and from a long-term perspective. Victor Prozesky, partner and founder of The Board Practice, Management Scope’s new expert partner: ‘It is important from a societal perspective that companies are well managed.’ Find article here.
Karl Guha: ‘Zero risk means zero reward’
Karl Guha, chairman of the Supervisory Board of ING and number two in the Management Scope Top 100 Supervisory Board Members, has over thirty years of experience in international banking. Guha is in conversation on taking risks, (over)regulation, and the Dutch tendency to break ranks with Europe. Read the full interview here.
Karl Guha: ‘Nul risico betekent nul beloning’
Karl Guha, president-commissaris van ING en de nummer 2 in de Top-100 Commissarissen, heeft meer dan 30 jaar ervaring in de internationale bankwereld. Een gesprek over het nemen van risico’s, (over)regulering én de Nederlandse neiging om uit de Europese pas te lopen. Lees het volledige interview hier.
Nienke Meijer on leveraging collective wisdom: ‘A sign of good governance’
For supervisory board member Nienke Meijer, real progress begins with an open mind and genuine interest in others. She advocates for collective wisdom in the boardroom. This can be achieved by listening, slowing down, and making room for other perspectives. ‘Especially in times of unrest, humanness is the best compass for leadership.’ Read the full interview, led by Dr Victor Prozesky from The Board Practice here.
Skills and knowledge of Supervisory Board Member
What skills and knowledge must a supervisory board member possess to remain effective in 2035? That was the theme of the Next50 Forum, a new initiative by Management Scope and founding partners A&O Shearman, AXECO, Deloitte, and The Board Practice. Supervisors falling within and just outside the Next50, our ranking of supervisory board members on the cusp of the absolute top, shared valuable lessons learned at the first Next50 Forum here.
Interview with Else Bos
At the beginning of 2024, Else Bos stepped down as member and chair of the supervisory board of De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), to focus on positions on the supervisory boards of private companies. The newcomer in this year’s Next50 speaks about the dilemmas in the role as a member of a supervisory board and the functioning of supervisory boards. ‘To me, the way of working together is at least as important as the diversity of skills.’ Find interview here.
Supervisory Board Evaluation Focus
The focus of supervisory board evaluations has shifted; attention to compliance-related matters alone is no longer sufficient. This shift is in line with the changing role of supervisory board members to becoming proactive, engaged partners of the management board. These developments will continue at a rapid pace, write Victor Prozesky and Frank Burgers of The Board Practice. Find article here.
The Full Value of a Board Evaluation
How the mandatory self-evaluation is approached determines the difference between a Supervisory Board that simply does what is required and a truly effective Supervisory Board with added value for company and directors, argues Victor Prozesky of The Board Practice. What does it take to get more value out of mandatory self-evaluation? Full article here.
Thought Leadership Articles
Find our articles on boardroom decision making, Company Secretary governance, AI in the boardroom and other interesting topics here.
Victor Prozesky over de vijf valkuilen bij ceo-opvolging
Het vinden van de juiste ceo – niet alleen voor vandaag, maar ook voor morgen – is waarschijnlijk de belangrijkste én tegelijk de meest complexe taak van raden van commissarissen, aldus Victor Prozesky van The Board Practice. Er is volgens hem nog te vaak sprake van standaardprocedures en ad-hocbesluitvorming, terwijl een succesvolle opvolging een strategisch, doorlopend proces vereist. Hoe pak je dat goed aan? Lees het volledige essay hier.
Victor Prozesky on the five pitfalls of CEO succession
Finding the right CEO – not just for today, but also for tomorrow – is likely the most important and at the same time the most complex task facing the supervisory board, according to Victor Prozesky of The Board Practice. In his view, standard procedures and ad-hoc decision-making are still too common, while successful succession requires a strategic, ongoing process. How does a board approach this effectively? Read the full essay here.
Our Clients
Our customers include large and small corporates, SME’s, not-for profits, charities, academic institutions, and organisations of all varieties.