Introduction

As a trusted authority and adviser to the Chairs and Board members of over two hundred organisations, Boardroom Review Limited (BRL) offers confidential advice and an independent view of the Board’s effectiveness and leadership.

Every evaluation is designed with only the Board's best interests on the agenda, encouraging directors to optimise their contribution to the success of the Company, and add value beyond the statutory requirements, by building on current strengths, and preparing for the challenges ahead.

Its founder, Dr Tracy Long, CBE, has had extensive experience across PLC, mutual, privately owned and public sector organisations in the UK, the US, Europe and Asia, and has conducted over 250 board evaluations and workshops.

Approach

A BRL review is not a compliance exercise.

Focused on the future rather than the past, the evaluation is iterative throughout, challenging the Board to engage in a dynamic discussion, reflect on the quality of debate and decision making over a wide range of topics, build relationships, and explore future options, in a safe and confidential space.

Every review is tailored to the particular circumstances of the Company, whilst drawing on regulatory guidance, examples of good practice and lessons learned from an international portfolio of work, and over 350 reviews, developed over sixteen years into a master framework of reference.

Interviews, observations, written communication, and all feedback sessions will be conducted and communicated by Dr Long. Depending on the Board's meeting cycle, the evaluation should be completed within two-three months.

Dr Long is Developed Vetted to the highest security level. Confidentiality is paramount and advice is impartial; all information is destroyed following the review, and there are no conflicts of interest. In order to ensure that its observations and recommendations are relevant, well considered, and follow best practice, Boardroom Review has an expert Advisory Board.

Clients

BRL has extensive international experience across all sectors, ranging from, inter alia, mining, oil and gas, water, banking (groups and subsidiaries), insurance and investment, pharmaceuticals and med-tech, telecoms, property, building and construction, engineering, shipping, paper and packaging, food retail, travel and leisure, entertainment, publishing, and gambling.

Public sector experience includes mutuals and partnerships, Government agencies and departments, regulators, universities, housing associations and charities, as well as private equity and international Boards based in Europe, the USA and Asia.

Biography

Dr Tracy Long

Dr Tracy Long is the founder of BRL, established in 2004. She is an Advisory Director and member of the NomCo of Carnegie Hall, a Trustee of the Windsor Leadership Trust, and a participant in Speakers for Schools. She was awarded the CBE in 2016 for services to governance in the public and private sectors, the Keith MacMillan Prize for her doctoral research, an HonARAM for her contribution to the Royal Academy of Music, and a Cass fellowship.

Tracy advises the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, where she was Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, and a member of the RemCo until 2016. She was a founding director of Avalon Productions and Classic FM, retiring from the Board of Nesta (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) in 2010. She has advised the Cabinet Office on the evaluation of departmental & ministerial boards, and contributed to the Civil Service Reform Plan.

Ms Gill Bray

Prior to joining Boardroom Review as Tracy Long's Assistant, Gill worked as an Executive Assistant at Founder/CEO level in the design and financial services industries.

Advisory

Ian Barlow

Ian Barlow currently serves as a Non-Executive Director for Smith and Nephew Plc and Brunner Investment Trust Plc, and is lead non executive director, chairing the Board, of HM Revenue and Customs. He is Chairman of the Racecourse Association and a board member of the China-Britain Business Council. Ian stepped down as Chairman of WSP Group Plc earlier this year and has also served on the Board of the London Development Agency PA Consulting Group Limited and Candy & Candy. Ian retired from KPMG LLP in 2008 as Senior Partner, London. In his charitable work, he is a trustee of the Historic Royal Palaces and Chairman of its Campaign Board.

Richard Clothier

Richard Clothier is chairman of five small and medium sized companies with operations in UK, Central Europe and USA in the agribusiness and food sector. He was previously chief executive of Dalgety plc and spent 20 years in various general management positions in the group. He served eight years as a non-executive director of Granada plc until the formation of ITV plc and was chief executive of the tropical plantations group PGI plc until 2005. A competitive sailor, Richard has represented both South Africa and Britain in ocean racing.

Interactive Reviews

Boardroom Review offers a half-day Board Effectiveness Interactive Review for clients who want to engage in a dynamic board discussion, build relationships, and explore options for the future, either as a light touch evaluation, or as an annual development session, building on previous evaluation outcomes or specific themes and challenges.

The Interactive Review will include:
  • A review of the changing governance landscape and stakeholder expectations
  • An assessment of the Board's current strengths and future challenges, and opportunities to benchmark across the market
  • An illustrative and tailored case study, and exploration of options and approaches
  • Setting priorities for the Board's own objectives

    Principles

    These guiding principles have been designed to standardise best practice for Board evaluation. Created by three leading evaluators, including Boardroom Review, Independent Board Evaluation and Lintstock, and in consultation with shareholders and regulators, they are intended to set professional standards for evaluators, regardless of methodology, and align expectations between clients, shareholders and regulators with regard to quality and integrity of process.


    There are four guiding principles for evaluators, and three for clients, that will standardise the quality, credibility and legitimacy of the field, and have relevance across a number of different methodologies.

    Four Guiding Principles for Evaluators


    Independence - the evaluator must be able to exercise independent and objective judgement. Existing commercial relationships, and other conflicts of interest, should be avoided, and/or disclosed and managed.

    Confidentiality - the evaluator must keep all information confidential. The only exception to this is the discovery of unlawful practices or regulatory demands.

    Competency - the evaluator will disclose the skills and competences of each individual involved in the evaluation, and provide appropriate references. There must be alignment of expectation between the client and the evaluator with regard to quality, value and longevity of service.

    Follow-up - the evaluator will discuss progress on agreed outcomes with clients (to include the Chairman, SID and/or Board) within 6-12 months of the evaluation.

    Three Guiding Principles for Clients


    Cooperation - there must be full cooperation between the client and the evaluator in order to ensure integrity of process. This will include transparency of, and appropriate access to, Board and Committee information, participants, and meetings.

    Transparency - all disclosures, including the Annual Report, must identify the evaluator (and any conflicts), the methodology (including the use of interviews and observation), final outcomes (with reference to accepted recommendations), and the approval process.

    Approval - the evaluator should agree and approve any formal disclosures, including the Annual Report, which describe the evaluation.

    Contact

    Boardroom Review Limited
    12 Horbury Mews, London W11 3NL

    Office Tel : 020 7229 8365
    Assistant Mob : 077 6935 3747
    Skype : boardroomreview
    Email : info@boardroomreview.com