- 16 March 2026
One of the privileges of leading The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland is seeing first-hand how governance connects professionals across jurisdictions, sectors and cultures.
Recently I had the opportunity to visit East Africa, meeting governance professionals, business leaders and partners in Uganda and Kenya and taking part in a number of roundtables and events with members, graduates and stakeholders across the region. What struck me most was the energy and commitment of those conversations, and the strength of the shared professional purpose.
A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to speak at the 15th Annual Directors’ and Company Secretaries’ Conference in Kampala, where governance professionals from across the region gathered to discuss the evolving role of boards and company secretaries.
In my remarks, I reflected on how rapid advances in AI are amplifying both opportunity and risk. I stressed that only strong governance, grounded in transparency, accountability and informed oversight, can ensure organisations use AI safely and effectively. Governance professionals provide the essential ethical compass as AI reshapes decision making, risk management and organisational resilience.
Why governance must come before AI
Governance must come before AI. Countries such as Uganda, now designing their AI frameworks, have a unique opportunity to embed strong governance from day one. UK organisations should be doing the same.
Alongside the conference, Patrick Courtney, our Head of Membership, and I met with members in Uganda and Kenya to discuss how the Institute can better support its international community. We discussed the regulatory landscapes in each jurisdiction and how governance is a key driver for building trust and confidence in businesses operating in those regions. These meetings also created a much-welcomed opportunity to allow the governance community to come together to network, share insights and experiences.
We also had the pleasure of celebrating the achievements of new graduates of the Institute’s qualifying programme in Kampala. Despite torrential rain and challenging traffic conditions, members and their families gathered to mark this significant milestone at our graduation ceremony. Seeing these talented professionals recognised for their commitment to the profession was a powerful reminder of the importance of our chartered qualification. It represents not only academic achievement, but a shared professional standard that allows governance professionals to operate confidently across jurisdictions.
Supporting a shared professional purpose
These discussions with members in East Africa reinforced an important point: governance may operate within different legal and regulatory frameworks, but the challenges facing organisations today are increasingly shared. Organisations are navigating geopolitical uncertainty, evolving regulation, technological disruption and growing expectations around transparency and accountability.
In this environment, governance is no longer seen purely as a compliance function. Increasingly it is recognised as a strategic discipline that helps organisations navigate complexity, manage risk and build long-term resilience.
That is why the Institute’s role is so important. Through our qualifications, professional development, research and international community, we support governance professionals in building the knowledge, skills and ethical foundations needed to meet these challenges.
One of the most valuable aspects of international engagement is hearing directly from governance professionals, business leaders and partners about the issues they face and the opportunities they see for the future of governance.
Governance professionals everywhere are working towards the same goal: helping organisations make better decisions, manage risk responsibly and earn the trust of the people they serve.
Our role as an Institute is to support them, by strengthening professional standards, fostering collaboration and ensuring the governance profession continues to evolve in response to the world around it.