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

I am a senior lawyer and business leader with over 20 years of experience delivering a wide range of property transactions for clients as well as guiding organisations through complex legal, regulatory, and governance challenges. I have worked in private practice (both the UK and Australia) as a property development lawyer and latterly in-house for companies in the retail and telecoms sectors. In my last role I built up and led a high performing legal and compliance team of 16 people.

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

Ultimately, I was looking for the next move (ideally to a General Counsel role) but was not sure how to make this happen. My last role saw me move into the world of risk management, on top of my legal and compliance responsibilities, and I obtained a qualification in this area to help with understanding that new world. Whilst I had touched on the world of corporate governance in my in-house career, that was a bit of a gap in my experience and this is increasingly part of the accountabilities for any head of legal or general counsel.

Why did you choose to study for the Certified Company Secretary Professional to help with these challenges/opportunities?

Having done some research and discussed with a couple of people, TCGI stood out as the leader for education in the world of corporate governance and it has a very recognised reputation.

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

The sections on ‘Board Dynamics’, ‘Shareholder and Stakeholder Management’ and ‘How to be Effective as a Company Secretary’ had the most impact for me.

How has completing this course influenced your career, leadership approach, or governance or Company Secretary-related skills?

I’m hoping the Company Secretary Diploma complements my existing skills and demonstrates my desire to continue to learn and grow in my professional career, but so far I wouldn’t say it has influenced my career. The course has certainly given me an excellent insight into the role of the Company Secretary in this modern world of business and the very important role it plays driving the right approach, modelling the way to behave and influencing the Board and shareholders. I am now looking forward to an opportunity where I can put these skills and knowledge into practice.

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

The ability to learn in my own time and manage how and when I carried out my studying was probably the biggest benefit, although the fact that I was also afforded an additional course in AI Governance as part of the package and a year’s membership to TCGI was a very close second! The knowledge sharing and information available via the membership is proving very helpful.

What advice would you give future learners wishing to pursue the Certified Company Secretary Professional?

I would say to check it out! If you are keen to broaden your knowledge and learn some new skills in the CoSec space then I think The Corporate Governance Institute is the right place to do that. Ensuring robust and effective corporate governance is an increasingly important part of any organisation’s world and so learning more about it can only be helpful for those wanting to further their careers.

How likely are you to recommend our certifications to a colleague?

5/5