The International Women's Forum UK recently announced Helen Pitcher OBE as the new President elect of the INSEAD Directors Network.
IWF announce Helen Pitcher as new President elect of INSEAD Directors Network
Creating an Effective Board
An article by Helen Pitcher OBE for the Company Secretary’s Review
Volume 41, Issue 1, June 2017
This article from Helen Pitcher OBE, Chairman of Advanced Boardroom Excellence looks at the role of the Chairman and the Company Secretary in the design of a Board information architecture and information management strategies.
The art of board effectiveness: Structure, strategy and healthy dynamics make for better boards and better business
By Helen Pitcher OBE for Ethical Boardroom : Spring 2017
In the 25 years since the Cadbury Report on corporate governance, how have boards been doing? Are boards able to understand and analyse what makes them effective and successful? Can they articulate and illuminate the characteristics of an effective board?
Helen Pitcher advises HRDs to take a structured approach to career planning in 2017
By Helen Pitcher for HR magazine
January is as good a time as any to reassess life and career goals. However, as with nearly all New Year ‘resolutions,’ it is important to ensure it is not a seasonal ‘flash in the pan’.
What is more conducive to effective career planning is a six month rolling review of whether you are achieving your stated goals. This however implies that you have taken time, soundings and articulated your stated goals in the first place! And that you do not review your goals achievement in isolation, but use a trusted mentor, coach or experienced friend to walk through progress and obstacles.
Board Dynamics and Why it Matters
A guest post by Helen Pitcher for Caffeine
When most people think about effective leadership of an organisation, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the executive team comprising of the C-Suite of roles along with any business critical functions and key directors holding those roles.
The Clubhouse's Member In The Spotlight: Helen Pitcher OBE
London’s leading business club, lounge and meeting space The Clubhouse, turns the tables and puts the focus on all the exciting things their fantastic members are achieving in their 'Member In the Spotlight' feature.
In their August ‘Member in the Spotlight’ feature they speak to member Helen Pitcher OBE, Chairman of Advanced Boardroom Excellence.
Getting on board as an NED
By Katie Jacobs for HR Magazine
While the supply of HR directors looking for NED roles still outstrips demand, the tide is slowly turning.
CIPD Appoints New Board Members
An article from peoplemanagement.co.uk
The CIPD’s board of trustees has two new members, who were formally elected at a council meeting on 21 April. They are Shakil Butt, HR and OD director at charity Islamic Relief Worldwide, and Helen Pitcher OBE, chair of board effectiveness consultancy Advanced Board Excellence. Both are chartered fellows of the institute.
Number of female applicants for QC still stubbornly low, selectors say
By Owen Bowcott for The Guardian, 11 Jan 2016
The number of women applying for Queen’s Counsel remains “stubbornly low”, the appointments panel has said, after promoting 25 female barristers and solicitor advocates among a total of 107.
Taking Silk: Quinn, Gibson and Freshfields heavyweights among new QCs in 107-strong round
by Sarah Downey for Legal Business, 11 Jan 2016
A trio of City heavyweights has been appointed among 107 new Queen's Counsel (QC) announced today (11 January), an increase on last year's round of 93.
Of the nine solicitor advocates who applied, there were three successful candidates, a drop on 2014/15 when five solicitor advocates were appointed. This year's appointments include Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan arbitration head Stephen Jagusch (pictured), Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher international arbitration group co-chair Penny Madden, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer London arbitration head Nigel Rawding.
Six new family law QCs appointed
by Matthias Mueller for www.familylaw.co.uk, 11 Jan 2016
The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of six new family law Queen's Counsel today.
Overall 107 new appointments as Queen’s Counsel were announced today. Last year there were 93 new silks.
In defence of HR: where would we be without...?
By Jenny Roper for HR Magazine
HR can contribute a lot more than people often realise. Here are the areas no business can afford not to excel in
"There has to be some important problem in the CEO’s bailiwick and the function has to be able to address it. Finance became important because investors became important and the CFOs became important because they had the tools and answers to the questions.” That’s Wharton professor Peter Cappelli’s view on what it takes for a function to rise to prominence.
After all, if a function is not delivering something critical why would it be there in the first place? Which is why the debate around whether the HR function is needed is so mystifying, and so tiring.
So here, once and for all, our experts spell out just some of those many vital value-adds that HR delivers – those areas in today’s operating conditions, that organisations would be lost without.
Helen Pitcher: Is it time to blow up HR and build something new?
By Helen Pitcher for HR Magazine
The Harvard Business Review (HBR) articles raise some good analysis of HR – even if collected under an incendiary title
The first article recognises that the Europe/UK context is different to the US and is undergoing a ‘paradigm shift’ at board level, with the board taking greater governance responsibility for key areas of the HR agenda that goes beyond the usual “people are our most important asset” statement.
As the HBR articles suggest, recognising the fundamental business context of companies is important and provides the backdrop for analysing the potential role HR can play in an organisation at any point in time.
HR’s strategic input remains poorly acknowledged
By Becky Frith for HR Magazine , 04 Sep 2015
More than three-quarters (76%) of HR professionals believe HR’s strategic input is poorly acknowledged, according to research from software provider Cascade HR.
The Cascade Client Survey 2015 found that 39% of HR professionals do not need to report an overview of their department, 42% are not expected to report on workforce diversity, and 48% are not required to report on salary information.
Board responsibility – ‘a difficult balancing act’
From Procedure to Process Behaviour
An article by Helen Pitcher OBE for the Company Secretary’s Review
Volume 39, Issue 8, August 2015
This article from Helen Pitcher OBE, Chairman of Advanced Boardroom Excellence looks at some of the influences driving the change in focus on Board behaviour, but more importantly asks if you are ready willing and able to adapt your behaviour to support the Chairman and the Board to deliver the future of Board effectiveness.
FT Non-Executive Director’s Club Publish ‘Walking the tightrope of board responsibility’
The Kingston Rotary Club Celebrate 25 Years of KidsOut Support
In their July 2015 newsletter, The Rotary Club of Kingston upon Thames celebrate 25 years of KidsOut Days Out from having the idea and taking the initiative to start it all off; to the 2015 Day Out where over 30 Rotarians from all 4 Clubs attended.
Significant Increase In Female NED Appointments
By Becky Frith for HR Magazine, 5 August 2015
The proportion of female first-time FTSE 350 non-executive directors (NEDs) significantly increased last year, according to a report by Korn Ferry.
The firm’s Class of 2014 report, which analysed all first-time NED appointments to FTSE 350 companies, revealed that 39% of first-time NEDs in 2014 were women, up from 28% in 2013 and 11% in 2007
The Governance Landscape
An article by Helen Pitcher OBE for the Company Secretary’s Review
Volume 39, Issue 6, July 2015
"The governance landscape as you will be aware has been developing rapidly over the past three years. In overall terms there has been an increased focus on the sustainability and longevity of companies by the regulators which is reflected in the governance code and guidance provided by the FRC."
