Educating the Board: Upskilling Subsidiary Directors for Modern Governance Demands

Overview

Subsidiary boards are under greater pressure than ever, with new directors, internal appointees, and rotating board members operating in an environment of heightened governance expectations, the role of the Group CoSec team has never been more critical.

Join Mercator® by Citco and The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland for an evening panel session exploring how CoSec professionals can effectively equip subsidiary directors with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to meet today's governance and regulatory demands.

Our panel will cover:

The core responsibilities every subsidiary director needs to understand — from duties and risk oversight to reporting obligations, delegations, and escalation processes
How to build structured onboarding and "board readiness" programmes, even with limited resources
Creating a consistent governance baseline across jurisdictions and organisational cultures
Practical approaches for engaging less experienced directors beyond the paperwork
Embedding ongoing director education into board cycles as a sustainable practice

Whether you're looking to strengthen your onboarding frameworks, align Group expectations with local realities, or simply share experiences with peers facing the same challenges — this is an evening not to be missed.

Speakers:
Justine Blakesley (CEO & Managing Director, Blakesley Consulting)
Cynthia Rashai (Assistant Company Secretary, JD Sports Fashion PLC)

Moderator:
Peter Swabey (Policy & Research Director, The Chartered Governance Institute)

Timings:

Doors Open | 5:30 pm
Panel Discussion | 6:15 pm
Drinks & Canapés | Following the panel

Sponsored by

For any related enquiries please contact us at events@cgi.org.uk, or call us at +44 (0)20 7580 4741

Speakers

CEO & Managing Director, Blakesley Consulting

Justine Blakesley

Prior to founding Blakesley Consulting Justine was CEO and Global Head of client services for an international law firm leading a global team delivering corporate, trust, accounting and regulatory services. Justine's experience includes strategy, international governance, regulatory and risk management. Portfolio management for highly regulated, listed companies and effective subsidiary governance. Justine has been a member of the Chartered Governance Institute for over 30 years.

Assistant Company Secretary, JD Sports Fashion PLC

Cynthia Rashai

Cynthia Rashai is an experienced Governance Professional, who is fully qualified with CGI ACG status. Her expertise is in subsidiary management and managing entities across global jurisdictions. Having previously worked in private practice and professional services, she brings deep technical experience in the governance field and helps boards to successfully carry out their duties. She’s a champion for the profession and is committed to developing and improving governance frameworks and standards in organisations. Currently she leads on subsidiary entity management for an omnichannel retailer in the FTSE100. With the ever-changing landscape of corporate governance, she is keen on providing governance solutions in an innovative and effective way.

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Policy & Research Director, The Chartered Governance Institute

Peter Swabey

Peter is responsible for developing the profile of the Institute to members, regulators, policymakers, employers and other stakeholders by delivering thought leadership and lobbying campaigns aligned to the Institute's strategy and promoting strong governance as the vital ingredient for success in organisations. Peter has 30 years' experience of the share registration industry, gained at Lloyds TSB Registrars and subsequently Equiniti and Equiniti David Venus, amongst others. He is a member of the CBI Companies Committee, the QCA Corporate Governance Expert Group and the Shareholder Voting Working Group, as well as being an Alternate Member of the Takeover Panel and a past chairman of the The Chartered Governance Institute Registrars Group.