A student's view of the IoD Certificate and Diploma

27 May 2011

Jersey students have been excelling in the IoD exams with the average of 2 distinctions out of 11 awarded globally. Sara Clews, Head of Marketing & Events at JIBS, managed to speak to two students about their IoD experience.

Edward Thorogood, Associate Director at Ogier, achieved a distinction in his diploma last November.

Why did you decide to do the IoD?
I knew it was a productive qualification and very useful for career development. The holistic approach makes you think laterally, and the overall IoD experience opens your eyes to where you should be going and what you should be doing.

Can you define some of the critical outcomes?
‘Leading strategic change’ was very useful and you could take this straight into the workplace with immediate effect. It involved planning for, and understanding the change cycle, which is critical to any project based work. The conformance element of the course was also incredibly important, especially within a fiduciary environment where roles of directors and strong corporate governance is critical.

The IoD references UK Law so how did you apply the learning outcomes to Jersey?
The reference to UK Law wasn’t a problem since the principles are relevant and provide an important takeaway. We all work within an Anglo-Saxon economic framework.

What are the benefits of studying the IoD locally?
There was a broad spectrum of individuals from both within and outside of the finance industry e.g. media, consultancy, regulators, and so we learnt a lot from each other.

Do you have any comments on Lord Davies’s report Women on Boards?
You want the right people on the board regardless of sex. It is important to have a good mix of experience and backgrounds so that you get to think outside the box.

Beverley Le Cuirot, Chief Executive of Immediate Impact, is now continuing with Chartered Director status.

Why did you decide to commit to such a challenging qualification?
I wanted a qualification to support my experience at board level. I did look at an MBA but felt that the IoD programme was more immediately applicable. The diploma has helped me in the running of my own company; has been relevant and beneficial to my clients; and has assisted me greatly with the nonexecutive
roles I hold.

Who else do you think should do this qualification?
All Directors (including NEDs) should seriously think about doing this – not only will they find it beneficial in terms of knowledge and networking; it will also help them to clarify understanding of their respective roles. There is still misunderstanding between Executive Directors and NEDs – whereas in fact all Directors carry equal responsibility in law.

What are the benefits of studying the IoD locally?
Interaction with my peers on the course proved to be very stimulating and there was an offering of different perspectives. The camaraderie was amazing and we still keep in touch.

Can you define some of the critical outcomes?
Clarification of such misunderstood roles as Chairman vs CEO. The IoD specify the Chairman as having responsibility of running the board and the CEO for the organisation. Although simplistic it is crucial with respect to corporate governance of any organisation to know that the Chairman carries the same voting power as all other Directors; and indeed only has a casting vote when the vote is split.

Do you have any comments on Lord Davies’s report Women on Boards?
Legislation is not the answer but boards should embrace a diversity of skills, experience and gender. It helps if the board is representative of the customer base and regularly refreshed.