Introduction

Boardroom Review Limited is one of the world’s leading authorities and trusted advisers to Chairs and Board members on the effectiveness and resilience of the Board.

Serving over two hundred and fifty clients since 2004, BRL offers confidential, independent advice to the most senior decision makers, working in partnership 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.

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

Tracy is an Advisory Director and member of the Nominations and Governance Committees of Carnegie Hall, a Trustee and SID of the Windsor Leadership Trust, an advisory director of Bridgeweave (B-B Fintech), and a participant in Speakers for Schools. She currently serves as the senior independent on various Government appointment panels, and is a mentor to young female professionals.

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 recently retired from the board of the DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sport), where she was Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee. She also advised the Efficiency and Reform Group, Cabinet Office, on the evaluation of all departmental and ministerial Boards, and contributed to the Civil Service Reform Plan. In 2019 she retired from the Council of Marlborough College, Wiltshire.

Tracy is an entrepreneur. She was a founding director of Avalon Productions and Classic FM. Previous Board roles have included BSkyB joint ventures (including the National Geographic, History, Paramount, Nickelodeon and QVC channels), Botts & Co. Private Equity, Central European Media Enterprises, Van Tulleken Company, Nesta (National Endowment of Science, Technology & the Arts), Lowland Investment Company plc, London Symphony Orchestra, The King?s Consort (Chair), Noel Gay Organisation, Royal Academy of Music, and Royal Society of British Sculptors (treasurer).

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 is a non-executive director of the Goodwood Estate Company Limited and previously served as senior independent director of Urban & Civic plc and Smith & Nephew plc and as Chairman of WSP Group plc and Foxtons plc. Ian also chaired the board of HM Revenue & Customs 2012 to 2016. Ian retired from KPMG LLP in 2008 as Senior Partner, London. In his charitable work he is a trustee and Chairman of the Racing Foundation. He is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser and holds an MA in Engineering Science from the University of Cambridge.

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.

Sir John Hood KNZM

Sir John Hood has served for thirty-plus years as a board member (chair, director, or CEO) of organisations in the business, academic and charity/philanthropic sectors.   He is a former Vice-Chancellor of both the University of Auckland (NZ) and the University of Oxford and recently retired as the President and CEO of the Robertson Foundation (NYC) and as chairman of the Rhodes Trust (at Oxford).  During the past decade Sir John has served on the boards of BG Group plc, WPP plc, Urenco Group (chairman) and a range of smaller businesses, including successful start-ups. Currently, he is a director of The Blackstone Group Inc (NYC) and a trustee of several charitable organisations, among them, Success Academy (NYC) and the British Heart Foundation.

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