East Midlands Branch Past Events

Past events

Hot Topics for Governance Professionals - 22 July 2024

This event took place on Monday 22 July 2024

The East Midlands and North West branches hosted this webinar to hear about Governance Hot Topics.

Peter Swabey took us through what he considers to be the latest hot topics for governance professionals, with time for Q&A at the end.

Speaker

Peter Swabey FCG, Policy and Research Director at the CGI UK & Ireland

Peter is responsible for developing CGIUKI’s profile by delivering thought leadership and lobbying campaigns aligned to CGIUKI strategy and promoting strong governance in organisations.

How to maximise LinkedIn to improve your professional profile - 15 April 2024

This virtual event took place on Monday 15 April 2024

This was an online session on 'How to maximise LinkedIn to improve your professional profile'.

Speaker

James Wright ACCA, MSc, HEA, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance, Lincoln International Business School

James Wright FCCA is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at the University of Lincoln. He has been using the professional networking platform LinkedIn for over a decade and from his engaging posts, this has resulted in millions of hits worldwide and a global network of connections.

James has delivered this talk on many occasions most recently in Guernsey for the Young Business Group to help people increase their professional profile online and to network more effectively.

Governance and Responsible Investment - Wednesday 27 March 2024

This event took place on 27 March 2024

The subject of socially responsible investment is of growing importance for governance professionals. We heared from three experts on their distinct approaches to ethical investment.

They were joined by Simon Martin who is Chair of Governors at a local LA-maintained primary school. The session discussed some of the current challenges and pointers for good practice based upon organisational experience.

Speakers:

Howard Gannaway, Independent Company Director and Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment

Howard Gannaway is a Certified Financial Planner with many years’ experience and a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. In addition to his work in finance, he has been CEO of a Chamber of Commerce and also an adviser on financial education policy. He is currently a non-executive director of a Teckal company, which poses unusual governance challenges!

Paul Todd, Director of Investment Development and Delivery, NEST - National Employment Savings Trust

Paul is part of the leadership group within Nest’s investment team, working with the chief investment officer and the Trustee Board to set the strategic vision for Nest’s investment proposition and ensure the delivery of that vision. He leads on developing the evidence base for our investment proposition and ensuring what we’re offering is the right approach for our members. Paul has built up a team of experts that take responsibility for Nest’s responsible investment approach, for developing our retirement options, for assessing governance and policies, as well as communicating what we do to everyone.

Laura Mallaburn, Head of Business Support & Angel Network Manager, Lincoln Science and Innovation Park

Laura is the Head of Business Support at Lincoln Science & Innovation Park, a hub that brings together science, technology, and academia. Laura supports innovative entrepreneurs, both at the Park and across the East midlands, in their pursuit of early-stage finance to accelerate their business growth.

As part of her role, she runs Lincolnshire Business Angels; a group of investors who consider local business investment opportunities following Dragons’ Den style pitch presentations. They commit their own time, capital, and expertise to seed and guide high-growth potential start-ups in return for an equity stake in the business.

Laura has a mixed entrepreneurial and corporate background and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. She has a passion for supporting female entrepreneurs.

Isla McCulloch, Community Shares Standards Manager, Co-operatives UK

Isla is the Community Shares Standards Manager at Co-operatives UK. She oversees the Community Shares Standard Mark, which recognises high quality community share offers and the related training and accreditation scheme for practitioners.

She also leads on research and market intelligence on the community shares market and supports the groundbreaking Community Shares Booster Fund, providing match investment for innovative share offers across England.

Building the role of the Company Secretary - 28 June 2023

This event took place on Wednesday 28 June 2023

Chaired by Kerry Round of Round Governance, with Nicola Ellwood, Executive Coach and Chair of the Lincoln Business Club, as speaker. Nicola delivered an event centered around improving or building upon the role of the Company Secretary in the Board room.

Speakers

Our speakers for this event were Kerry Round of Round Governance and Nicola Ellwood, Executive Coach and Chair of Lincoln Business Club.

Thinking about upgrading your membership to Associate or Fellow? - 28 March 2023

This event took place on Tuesday 28 March 2023

Are you a CGIUKI student or Graduate who would like to become an Associate and therefore Chartered? Or are you already Chartered but would like to become a Fellow?

This session was suitable for:

• Those who are close to, or have already completed our Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme or one of our Validated University Postgraduate courses and are interested in what they need to do next in order to become chartered

• Those who are already an Associate and already have or are close to having sufficient experience to apply to become a Fellow

In the session we will cover the benefits of upgrading, the eligibility requirements, application process, the evidence required and provide the opportunity to hear from others who have gone through the process.

Speakers:

Lesley Ward, Branch Liaison and Mentoring Manager at The Chartered Governance Institute

Hughie Vu, Membership Support Officer at the Chartered Governance Institute

Creative and Positive Culture: Opportunities and Challenges - 27 October 2022

This event was held on Thursday 27 October 2022

This virtual meeting consisted of a Chairman and Panel of Speakers to discuss the Financial Reporting Council 2021 statement on the importance of a positive culture in achieving good governance and the role of the company secretary and governance professional in achieving this aim in the 21st century.

In developing this statement on culture the FRC was supported by our Insitute, the Institute of Business Ethics and Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors as well as other interested organisations. The discussion and following questions will be of value to all members and their guests.

Our chair for this event was Peter Swabey FCG, Policy and Research Director, The Chartered Governance Institute. He is responsible for developing the profile of the Institute by delivering thought leadership.

Christmas Governance Quiz - 14 December 2021

This event took place on Tuesday 14 December

So you think you know about Governance

An extremely light hearted, unconventional and off beat quiz on governance. The session provided an opportunity for particiapants to assess their knowledge about governance principles (and trivia!) and to evaluate how Up-To-Date they are in the subject.

Examples of questions in previous years have included:

Can a computer algorithm be a registered director?
Which country in the World holds the record for the fastest incorporation of a company?

A prize was awarded to the lucky person/team who goy the most questions right and someone/team also won the wooden spoon award.

Speaker

Chris Pierce, CEO, Global Governance Services

Visiting Professor of International Corporate Governance at the University of Lincoln and East Midlands CGI Branch Committee Member.

An international governance consultant with experience of working in over 70 countries from Azerbaijan to Zambia. He is also an author of many governance books and articles.

Achieving excellence in ESG Reporting - 12 October 2021

This event took place on Tuesday 12 October 2021

You can download the presentations below:

Achieving excellence in ESG Reporting

An Academic Perspective on the Social Issues in the ESG theme

Driving Climate Action at Scale

This joint discussion panel with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assurance, Lincoln is for members and guests involved in achieving best practice environmental, social and governance (ESG) assessment, assurance and reporting in their organisations. Discussing the connectivity between each of the three ESG strategies and practices: and, how each can strengthen the achievements of the others for the benefit of all stakeholders – the Planet, People and Prosperity

Introduction: Jeffrey Ridley FCG, Vice-Chairman, East Midlands Branch

Panel Members:

Environmental:

Achieving excellence in ESG Reporting

Download slides here.

Martin Baxter, Director of Policy and External Affairs, Deputy CEO, Institute of Environmental Management and Assurance, Lincoln.

“Translating national ambition into climate action – mechanisms for driving change at scale”

Social:

An Academic Perspective on the Social Issues in the ESG theme

Download slides here.

Dr. Nadia Gulko, Associate Professor in Accounting, SFHEA, CGMA Academic Champion, Lincoln International Business School, University of Lincoln.

“An academic perspective on the social issues in the ESG theme”

Governance:

Driving Climate Action at Scale

Download slides here.

Chris Pearce FCG, CEO of Global Governance Services, Visiting Professor in International Corporate Governance at Lincoln International Business School.

“How environmental and social matters fit within a “new normal” governance framework within the private, public and third sectors.”

The revised Charity Governance Code 2020 – a must for all charities in the East Midlands? - 27 April 2021

This event took place on Tuesday 27 April 2021

The Charity Governance Code is a tool to help charities and their trustees develop high standards of governance however it is not mandatory – therefore charities have a choice whether to use it or not. This event will explore that choice in more depth.

Panelists from the East Midlands branch area will discuss the changes and implications of the Revised Governance Code discussing the relevance for local charities large and small, the practical steps that any charity would need to take to adopt and implement the code and debating whether or not the Code ought in fact to be a legal requirement of Charities.

Our Speakers for this event will be:

Jo Mead, Chair of Trustees at EDAN Lincs and Lincolnshire Action Trust, East Midlands Ambassador for the Academy for Social Justice
Chris Pierce, CEO of Global Governance Services Ltd, Visiting Professor of International Corporate Governance, University of Lincoln
Jeffrey Ridley FCG FIIA, Visiting Professor of Corporate Governance Assurance, University of Lincoln
Catriona Wheeler, Partner, Chattertons LLP

Jo Mead, Chair of Trustees at EDAN Lincs and Lincolnshire Action Trust, East Midlands Ambassador for the Academy for Social Justice

Jo Mead is the chair of Trustees at two charities in the East Midlands, and the East Midlands Ambassador for the Academy for Social Justice - a membership organisation which exists to promote good practice and joined-up working across social sectors. Jo has been a Board member as a CEO in the public sector and as a Non Executive Director of large Limited Company, with a US parent company.

She is interested in the use of frameworks to empower organisations of whatever size to improve delivery for their beneficiaries, to a good quality and with a positive culture and enjoys working with diverse teams. She is a qualified probation officer.

Dr Chris Pierce, CEO of Global Governance Services Ltd, Visiting Professor of International Corporate Governance, University of Lincoln

Dr Pierce is CEO of Global Governance Services Ltd. He has published many articles and books on corporate governance. He was formerly Director of Professional Standards and Professional Development at the Institute of Directors (IoD) in the UK. His academic qualifications include an MBA, an MSc, an MPhil and a PhD, and he was awarded the 2014 Marcos E J Bertin Quality in Governance Medal in Sweden in recognition of his personal contribution to the promotion of good governance practice around the world.

He is a Visiting Professor of International Corporate Governance at the University of Lincoln, a Fellow of the Caux Round Table and a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute (formerly the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators). Former academic roles include; Honorary Visiting Professor at Cass Business School, City University London; Research Fellow of Cranfield Business School; and Executive Fellow of Henley Management College.

Jeffrey Ridley FCG FIIA, Visiting Professor of Corporate Governance Assurance, University of Lincoln

Jeffrey Ridley has been a visiting professor of auditing and corporate governance since 1991, working at times at three universities in the United Kingdom. – teaching and researching auditing, sustainability assurance and governance. Before that he worked in two major US global manufacturing and distribution companies for thirty years as an internal auditor, following ten years working as a government auditor in Nigeria, West Africa

He has been a member of the Institute since 1967 and was the first President of The Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors-UK in 1975. He has written many papers on auditing and governance and authored three books, the third on creativity and innovation in auditing published in 2018. He has presented papers at many conferences and participated in seminars on governance in a variety of organisations. His current interest and research is in the role of audit committees across all sectors. He is currently a board member of a rural housing association in Lincolnshire.

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