Tell us about your professional experience before discovering the Corporate Governance Institute

A large part of my career involved multiple roles at a senior executive level with IDA Ireland, an organisation that has a real purpose in terms of supporting the economic and social development of Ireland. I also worked for a period with Deutsche Bank and State Street in the investment fund sector. I already had some board experience prior to signing up for the corporate governance course.

What challenges or opportunities were you facing in your career or on your board before taking our course?

I was looking for opportunities, having previously been on the board of NIBRT (the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training). While I had experience of being a non-executive board member, I had no formal training in the area of corporate governance. I have since joined the governance body of DkIT (Dundalk Institute of Technology), a third level educational institution, which has a student population of over 5,000 students across multiple disciplines.

Why did you choose to study for the Diploma in Corporate Governance with us to help with these challenges/opportunities?

I chose this course because I wanted to have a recognised, professional qualification in corporate governance in order to take on future non-executive roles. While I, yes, have the experience and have a lot to offer in a board position, I truly believe we can never know enough in terms of navigating the many governance challenges companies face today.

Can you describe any particular elements of the course that stood out to you or made a significant impact?

Overall, the real-world experience of all of the faculty who provided input to our learning stood out for me. One area in particular though, around the essential experience required to become a valuable non-executive director, made me pause and confirm for myself that I had the required skills and that I was willing to take on the weighty responsibilities involved.

How has completing this course influenced your career, leadership approach, or governance or ESG skills?

Completing the course has given me more confidence, marrying my experience with the learnings from the programme. It has also given me a deeper understanding in my broader advisory work as to the importance of proper governance architecture and processes in any company.

I have since also completed two further governance courses with the Corporate Governance Institute, in ESG and AI, both are areas that all boards need to address going forward and cannot be ignored.

What did you find most beneficial about studying with the Corporate Governance Institute?

Those doing the teaching were all non-executive directors out in the real world, hence were able to give a lot more examples beyond the theory. I also found the on-going offering of masterclasses useful in terms of keeping up with new themes and direction in corporate governance. The fact that the qualification is independently accredited will also be an advantage as I consider future non-executive roles.