How to Hire Your First Independent Board Director

The process of finding your first independent board director is a thoughtful exercise in weighing both business and governance priorities

How to Hire Your First Independent Board Director

theBoardlist has been helping PE firms, VC’s, founders, CEOs, board directors and enterprise companies across all industries build their boards since 2015. We are the leading talent database of diverse board directors. And we’re here to help you too. 

Navigating the process of finding your first independent board director should be a thoughtful exercise in weighing both business priorities and governance expectations equally. Examine the skill set of the executive team - what are the missing strengths? Examine the 2 year or 5 year plan for the business - what is the integral knowledge base needed to succeed? Examine the stage your company is in - are you hiring for your current stage while also considering its evolution and future?

Independent board directors are the inside advisors of the business, guiding the CEO and executive team to execute their vision by leveraging their professional perspectives, experience and area of expertise. So how do you find the right Independent Director for your company? We’ve collected some helpful resources to get you started:

Deloitte: The Different Types of Directors
McKinsey & Co: How to Choose The Right Non Executive Board Leader
Korn Ferry: What Makes an Exceptional Independent Non Executive Director
Allison Pickens:How To Hire an Independent Board Director
Entrepreneur: Finding the Perfect Board of Directors for your Startup
Management Today: How to hire a great board of directors
Upcounsel: Build Board of Directors: A Simple How to Guide for Startups
Business Insider: How to Recruit a Board of Directors
Egon Zehnder: The Board Director Hiring Process

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theBoardlist is the premier leadership community that connects exceptional diverse talent with global board opportunities. We’ve helped over 2500+ companies from early-stage startups to the Fortune 100, across all industries, to accelerate access to opportunities for women and historically marginalized people to achieve at the highest levels. Featured on Forbes, Fortune, Business Insider and more, theBoardlist has been a thought leader in the board diversity space for over 7 years. For more information visit www.theboardlist.com or follow theBoardlist on LinkedIn and Twitter @theBoardlist

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