About Membership

I've been a chartered director and fellow of the UK Institute of Directors since 2016. Today I am happy to announce my additional affiliation as fellow to the GCC Board Director Institute. Each one brings a bundle of benefits and unmatched learning and networking experience. GCC BDI is growing now to a regional powerhouse with strong brand association to a large regional and global corporate base. The institute has a great board and executive team, Jane Valls CSK has been the executive director since 2016 and I think she's doing a wonderful job! Please have a read here and consider enrolling as member or fellow, the qualifying criteria all listed.The main driver for being associated is to help the institute promote the highest professional standards of corporate governance and professional directorship. GCC BDI is on a mission to strengthen corporate governance in the GCC region through capability building, advocacy and promotion of sound governance practices.

A few years ago I have made a conscious career change of becoming a full time (independent) non-executive board director with a select group of organisations in the Middle East. Therefore, it is crucial for me to be able to connect with a wider audience at board level in the GCC region. As such, I appreciate the possibilities of having access to the board opportunities advertised via the Board Opportunity/Directors’ Register, as well as the online and traditional networking events. I also see significant value in joining study trips which can provide unique learning experiences to understand new markets and regulatory environments. Last, but not least, the GNDI Global Passport is a great step forward in connecting the GCC BDI and its members to the wider community of board directors in other parts of the world. GCC BDI membership is helping me to further develop as a board member via its regular webinars presented by top-notch speakers, as well as its professionally structured and personalised mentorship programme. In my view GCC BDI offers a solid value proposition, with a host of tangible membership benefits. Considering that GCC BDI was founded by a select group of first tier companies in the GCC, supported by top quality advisory firms in the HR and strategic organisational fields, underpins the solid professional foundation of this ambitious initiative. In the meantime, the GCC BDI has become highly respected among the international community and the only institute of directors in the GCC to have been admitted as a member of the prestigious Global Network of Director Institutes. As a member of GCC BDI, you are a part of this exclusive group of select individuals.

Enrolling for GCC BDI membership enhanced my understanding of corporate governance as well as board roles and responsibilities. The membership provided me with access to exclusive and insightful content via its carefully selected tutorials and workshops. Furthermore, I believe the organized networking events and the facilitation of interesting board placements offers members with a compelling value proposition. I would recommend GCC BDI membership to others as it offers its members numerous benefits, and I believe these benefits outweigh by far the cost associated with the membership.

The program (Foundations of Directorship) was a great platform to re-emphasise the importance of the role of the board in any business, and to examine its scope from each of an oversight and support perspective. The program was also a great networking opportunity, presenting very valuable insights into cultural nuances in policy and practice.