GCC Board Directors Institute Hosts Prestigious Workshop for C-suite Executives in Partnership with Emirates NBD in Dubai

Dubai-UAE: 27 November 2018 - The GCC Board Directors Institute (GCC BDI), a not-for-profit organization that guides board directors of organizations, from family-owned businesses to listed companies, to acquire the know-how and tools to reach and sustain effective governance, hosted the Foundations of Directorship Workshop in partnership with Emirates NBD, one of the largest banking groups in the Middle East. The workshop addressed a broad range of topics centered around the themes of board management and board effectiveness. Held at the Palazzo Versace Dubai, the two-day event was organized with the participation of GCC BDI external associates including Michael Morcos, Managing Partner, Heidrick & Struggles (MENA Region), Khalid Garousha, Managing Partner, Allen & Overy, Motaz Saleh, Partner, PwC and Dr Hans-Martin Stockmeier, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company. The workshop focused on six themes that highlighted the fundamentals of governing the board, the defining roles of the board versus management and emerging practices for board evaluation. Through effectively balancing theory and practice, the workshop encouraged discussions and debates anchored in the sharing of real-life experiences. The structured agenda also enabled board members to discuss general business-related issues while the evening dinner featured Evans Munyuki, Group Chief Digital Officer at Emirates NBD, as the guest speaker talking about Innovation in the Banking Sector. Mutlaq Al-Morished, Governor, GCC BDI, said: “Compliance with best corporate governance practice has become the norm for most boards of leading publicly quoted companies today. Board effectiveness, however, is a subject that is equally relevant and crucial to all organizations with a governing board, including government and privately-owned businesses. Therefore, it is vital for key executives to come together to share and discuss the qualities and experiences they believe are prerequisites in contributing to board effectiveness.” Jane Valls, Executive Director, GCC BDI, said: “GCC BDI regularly hosts events such as the Foundations of Directorship Workshop to update board directors on the latest trends and best practices and to facilitate the creation of a regional network of board members. As part of its mandate, GCC BDI aims to open opportunities for collaboration through engaging board members and senior executives from across the region. Since 2017, we have reached over 3,600 companies through these workshops and events, positively impacting the way that boards operate across various industries.” With more than 1,200 members, GCC BDI is the most influential network of senior board directors in the Gulf. In the last 10 years, the GCC BDI has delivered over 150 workshops, board evaluations and events and have trained more than 1,000 senior directors. About GCC BDI Launched in 2007, the GCC Board Directors Institute (GCC 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. GCC BDI was founded by four leading regional corporations - Investcorp, SABIC, Saudi Aramco and Emirates NBD – and it is supported by four advisory firms: Allen & Overy, Heidrick & Struggles, McKinsey & Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers, 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 and the Central Bank of Bahrain. GCC BDI now works with over 1200 Alumni members who benefit from a network of senior business leaders and a variety of workshops designed for board directors and senior executives. 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. The next GCC BDI Chairman Summit will take place on 26 November 2018 in Riyadh. 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 GCC BDI. For more information, please contact: Christoph Diesch APCO Worldwide cdiesch@apcoworldwide.com + 971 55 134 0892