Governance Bites

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Fiona Whyte about the difference between online and in-person board meetings. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each format, whether the decision-making process differs, which format is more efficient, and which is more effective. They discuss tools that enable online meetings, and how an effective board balances these advantages...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mark Banicevich asks Craig Mulholland about the board holding management to account. Holding management to account is one of the four pillars of good governance promoted by the NZ Institute of Directors. Mark asks what this means, what types of information the board needs to hold management to account, and what tools the board can use to do so. He asks how the boa...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mark Banicevich talks to Peter Kenny about leveraging the regulations and guidance from other jurisdictions. New Zealand regulation in many industries is very principles-based. Are there benefits to researching the regulations and guidance of regulators in other jurisdictions? Peter and Mark particularly discuss financial services resources from Australian regulat...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Fiona Whyte about environmental, social and governance (ESG) in the boardroom. He asks what ESG is, why it is important, and why it is relevant in the boardroom. He also asks how an effective board oversees its entity’s ESG behaviours, and how it assesses and manages ESG-related risks. Mark also asks Fiona about the best advice she’s received as...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mark Banicevich asks Craig Mulholland about board papers. He asks about the number of agenda items in board meetings, the size of board packs, and the length of board papers. They discuss how far in advance board papers should be available to directors, and what is usually covered in a board paper. Craig also shares the best advice he received regarding new direct...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mark Banicevich talks to Peter Kenny about delegations of authority. He asks what they are, what sorts of powers are delegated, and what sorts of powers cannot be delegated. They discuss processes to assess and manage risk associated with delegations of authority, and how an organisation ensures accountability and oversight of them. They also discuss options for s...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Fiona Whyte about keeping directors relevant. They discuss board evaluations – what they are, how frequently they are performed, who should perform them, and what sorts of questions are asked. They proceed to discuss director tenure, avoiding stagnation, and succession planning.  Fiona Whyte is a director of Woori Bank, a commercial bank in Camb...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Dr Peter Crow about the history of governance. Companies have been around since Roman times, but we tend to think of the beginnings in the 17th century CE, when companies such as the East India Company were established by Royal Charter. What was governance like? How has it evolved? Where is it now? Dr Crow also shares the best governance advice...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Philip Whitmore about the board's responsibility for an entity's data security and integrity. They discuss the risk that third party IT (information technology) providers pose to an entity, and the due diligence the entity should perform before engaging a third party. Philip provides examples of data breaches, and they discuss the less...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Kate Vennell about the voices of the customer and other stakeholders in the boardroom. They discuss whether those voices are relevant, and how to gather them effectively. They discuss how things differ in not-for-profits and small businesses. Kate then outlines the impact of s131(5) of the Companies Act 1993, allowing directors to consider other...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Dr Peter Crow what drives corporate failure. Dr Crow starts by outlining corporate success, and then moves on to the topic du jour. He lists several behaviours that lead to corporate failure, and then he and Mark discuss some of those behaviours in the boardroom. Dr Crow talks through some examples, and finally gives some advice to anyone starti...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Philip Whitmore about cybersecurity and director responsibility. Philip provides examples of cybersecurity risk, and the impact it can have on large and small businesses. They discuss the directors' role in managing cybersecurity risk, and what directors should do about cybersecurity. Mark also asks about the information management need to...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Kate Vennell about the role of the board in promoting effective shareholder engagement. She outlines the importance of the shareholders' voice in the boardroom, and the challenges of disparate voices and goals. They discuss whether large shareholders effectively represent all shareholders, or whether their goals differ. They discuss how the...

Send us Fan Mail In this video, Mark Banicevich asks Dr Peter Crow about how governance differs around the world. Dr Crow outlines how governance in New Zealand differs to the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Africa and Asia, and Eastern and Western Europe. He also outlines some of the key challenges that all boards face.  Dr Peter Crow has a PhD in corporate governance and strategy....

Send us Fan Mail Tony Vidler is a business adviser and mentor, speaker and coach who focuses on helping business professionals build more profitable advice businesses. Following a career in the Australian navy, Tony moved into financial services about 30 years ago. He has worked as a financial adviser, managing partner, professional association leader, director and chairperson.  In this video, Mar...

Send us Fan Mail Jim McElwain is Executive Director of the Institute of Financial Professionals New Zealand (INFINZ). He has a background in corporate finance, having worked at Treasury, Lloyds Merchant Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young. Jim's governance experience includes the Advisory Board of the School of Accounting and Commercial Law at Victoria University of Wellington,...

Send us Fan Mail Lloyd Kavanagh is a Senior Partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts, and one of the most respected financial services lawyers in New Zealand. He has over 25 years' experience in governance, both advising and as a director, in for-profit and not-for-profit, in New Zealand and overseas. Past directorships include AMP Services NZ, Soprole SA (Chile), the Securities Commission, and Mint...

Send us Fan Mail Tracey Berry is a Partner at Mosaic Financial Services Infrastructure. She is an experienced company executive and director, with particular experience in banking and financial services. She is on the board of the National Provident Fund, has been Chair of Nikko Asset Management (New Zealand), and on various trust boards. She has been an executive at Kiwibank, BNZ, Westpac and TSB...

Send us Fan Mail Myles Allan started his journey as a business analyst, and moved into project management. He founded Mosaic Financial Services Infrastructure in 2010, and has grown it to a reputable consulting firm with 80 staff. Myles engaged an advisory board about three years ago, to challenge his thinking with their diverse expertise and experiences.  Mark Banicevich asks Myles about what we...

Send us Fan Mail Jim McElwain is Executive Director of the Institute of Financial Professionals New Zealand (INFINZ). He has a background in corporate finance, having worked at Treasury, Lloyds Merchant Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young. Jim's governance experience includes the Advisory Board of the School of Accounting and Commercial Law at Victoria University of Wellington,...

Send us Fan Mail Tony Vidler is a business adviser and mentor, speaker and coach who focuses on helping business professionals build more profitable advice businesses. Following a career in the Australian navy, Tony moved into financial services about 30 years ago. He has worked as a financial adviser, managing parter, professional association leader, director and chairperson.  In this video, Mark...

Send us Fan Mail Lloyd Kavanagh is a Senior Partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts, and one of the most respected financial services lawyers in New Zealand. He has over 25 years' experience in governance, both advising and as a director, in for-profit and not-for-profit, in New Zealand and overseas. Past directorships include AMP Services NZ, Soprole SA (Chile), the Securities Commission, and Mint...

Send us Fan Mail Professor Coral Ingley was an Associate Professor of Management at Auckland University of Technology. She has a PhD in governance (the first person in New Zealand to do so), and teaches governance in New Zealand and around the world. Professor Ingley is on the board of Governance New Zealand, and the educational board of its international body, the Chartered Governance Institute. ...

Send us Fan Mail Myles Allan started his journey as a business analyst, and moved into project management. He founded Mosaic Financial Services Infrastructure in 2010, and has grown it to a reputable consulting firm with 80 staff. Myles engaged an advisory board about three years ago, to challenge his thinking with their diverse expertise and experiences.  Mark Banicevich asks Myles about effectiv...

Send us Fan Mail Tracey Berry is a Partner at Mosaic Financial Services Infrastructure. She is an experienced company executive and director, with particular experience in banking and financial services. She is on the board of the National Provident Fund, has been Chair of Nikko Asset Management (New Zealand), and on various trust boards. She has been an executive at Kiwibank, BNZ, Westpac and TSB...