GCC Board Directors Institute appoints new Executive Director
Dubai, UAE –26 April 2016 – The GCC Board Directors Institute (BDI) has appointed Jane Valls as its new Executive Director to lead the non-profit organization in developing high-performance boards in the GCC region. Ms Valls is the former CEO of the Mauritius Institute of Directors, one of the fastest growing Institutes in the world according to the World Bank.
Mr. Mohammed Al-Shroogi, Chairman at GCC Board Directors Institute, said: “Jane Valls is highly experienced and an expert in corporate governance; we are pleased to welcome a senior executive of her calibre to the GCC Board Directors Institute. Her experience in international and multi-cultural relations makes her the perfect fit for taking this leadership role to the next level.”
“Her previous experience will be particularly vital when engaging with other director institutes across the globe. I have no doubt that she will help us become a network of excellence by fostering relationships and growing our membership base of top business leaders including directors, investors and regulators.”
Rapidly changing market conditions and the opening of regional stock markets to foreign investors mean that there is greater emphasis on corporate governance and transparency. BDI endeavours to raise the level of board governance and effectiveness standards primarily by conducting directorship development programs and board evaluations, disseminating knowledge on latest corporate governance trends and best practices, and by fostering the growth of the largest and most influential network of board directors in the Gulf region.
BDI is the leading and pre-eminent GCC not-for-profit organization that guides board directors of organizations, from state owned enterprises and family-owned businesses to listed companies, to acquire the know-how and the tools to reach and sustain effective governance.
Advising a wide range of top-tier organisations across the GCC, BDI now works with close to 700 board directors representing over 1800 flagship companies, providing them with the tools and know-how so that they can adapt to shifting economic and regulatory circumstances.
“The Institute has established an impressive track record over the last nine years in driving greater board effectiveness across the region. I look forward to taking a focused and pragmatic approach to working with Boards and promoting higher levels of business performance,” said Jane Valls, Executive Director at GCC Board Directors Institute.
Ms Valls has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by the University of Middlesex for services to business, women’s empowerment and social justice, and she was recently decorated by the Republic of Mauritius as a Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (CSK) for services to corporate governance.
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About the GCC Board Directors Institute (BDI)
Launched in 2007, the GCC Board Directors Institute (BDI) is a not-for-profit organization that guides board directors of organizations, from family-owned businesses to listed companies, to acquire the know-how and the tools to reach and sustain effective governance.
BDI is founded by four leading regional corporations - Investcorp, SABIC, Saudi Aramco and Emirates NBD – and it is supported by five advisory firms: Allen & Overy, Heidrick & Struggles, McKinsey & Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Hill+Knowlton Strategies, as well as regional regulatory authorities: the Emirates Security and Commodities Authority of the UAE, the Capital Market Authorities of both Saudi Arabia and Oman, the Central Bank of Bahrain and the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority.
BDI now works with over 650 Alumni members who benefit from a network of business leaders and a variety of workshops designed for senior directors. Notably, the Institute hosts an annual Chairman Summit that brings together regional leaders and actors to explore the evolving role and value of Boards as well as appropriate corporate governance standards.
Today the Institute is globally recognized and the only Directors Institute from the region to be admitted to the Global Network of Directors Institute.
We encourage you to visit the Institute's website at www.gccbdi.org to learn more and get involved with the BDI. Or, write to us directly at: getinvolved@gccbdi.org
For media inquiries:
Mira Alrabi, Director, Marketing & Communications
GCC Board Directors Institute
Email: getinvolved@gccbdi.org