By Owen Bowcott for The Guardian, 11 Jan 2016
The number of women applying for Queen’s Counsel remains “stubbornly low”, the appointments panel has said, after promoting 25 female barristers and solicitor advocates among a total of 107.
Taking Silk: Quinn, Gibson and Freshfields heavyweights among new QCs in 107-strong round
by Sarah Downey for Legal Business, 11 Jan 2016
A trio of City heavyweights has been appointed among 107 new Queen's Counsel (QC) announced today (11 January), an increase on last year's round of 93.
Of the nine solicitor advocates who applied, there were three successful candidates, a drop on 2014/15 when five solicitor advocates were appointed. This year's appointments include Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan arbitration head Stephen Jagusch (pictured), Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher international arbitration group co-chair Penny Madden, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer London arbitration head Nigel Rawding.
Six new family law QCs appointed
by Matthias Mueller for www.familylaw.co.uk, 11 Jan 2016
The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of six new family law Queen's Counsel today.
Overall 107 new appointments as Queen’s Counsel were announced today. Last year there were 93 new silks.
In defence of HR: where would we be without...?
By Jenny Roper for HR Magazine
HR can contribute a lot more than people often realise. Here are the areas no business can afford not to excel in
"There has to be some important problem in the CEO’s bailiwick and the function has to be able to address it. Finance became important because investors became important and the CFOs became important because they had the tools and answers to the questions.” That’s Wharton professor Peter Cappelli’s view on what it takes for a function to rise to prominence.
After all, if a function is not delivering something critical why would it be there in the first place? Which is why the debate around whether the HR function is needed is so mystifying, and so tiring.
So here, once and for all, our experts spell out just some of those many vital value-adds that HR delivers – those areas in today’s operating conditions, that organisations would be lost without.
Helen Pitcher: Is it time to blow up HR and build something new?
By Helen Pitcher for HR Magazine
The Harvard Business Review (HBR) articles raise some good analysis of HR – even if collected under an incendiary title
The first article recognises that the Europe/UK context is different to the US and is undergoing a ‘paradigm shift’ at board level, with the board taking greater governance responsibility for key areas of the HR agenda that goes beyond the usual “people are our most important asset” statement.
As the HBR articles suggest, recognising the fundamental business context of companies is important and provides the backdrop for analysing the potential role HR can play in an organisation at any point in time.
HR’s strategic input remains poorly acknowledged
By Becky Frith for HR Magazine , 04 Sep 2015
More than three-quarters (76%) of HR professionals believe HR’s strategic input is poorly acknowledged, according to research from software provider Cascade HR.
The Cascade Client Survey 2015 found that 39% of HR professionals do not need to report an overview of their department, 42% are not expected to report on workforce diversity, and 48% are not required to report on salary information.
Board responsibility – ‘a difficult balancing act’
From Procedure to Process Behaviour
An article by Helen Pitcher OBE for the Company Secretary’s Review
Volume 39, Issue 8, August 2015
This article from Helen Pitcher OBE, Chairman of Advanced Boardroom Excellence looks at some of the influences driving the change in focus on Board behaviour, but more importantly asks if you are ready willing and able to adapt your behaviour to support the Chairman and the Board to deliver the future of Board effectiveness.
FT Non-Executive Director’s Club Publish ‘Walking the tightrope of board responsibility’
The Kingston Rotary Club Celebrate 25 Years of KidsOut Support
In their July 2015 newsletter, The Rotary Club of Kingston upon Thames celebrate 25 years of KidsOut Days Out from having the idea and taking the initiative to start it all off; to the 2015 Day Out where over 30 Rotarians from all 4 Clubs attended.
Significant Increase In Female NED Appointments
By Becky Frith for HR Magazine, 5 August 2015
The proportion of female first-time FTSE 350 non-executive directors (NEDs) significantly increased last year, according to a report by Korn Ferry.
The firm’s Class of 2014 report, which analysed all first-time NED appointments to FTSE 350 companies, revealed that 39% of first-time NEDs in 2014 were women, up from 28% in 2013 and 11% in 2007
The Governance Landscape
An article by Helen Pitcher OBE for the Company Secretary’s Review
Volume 39, Issue 6, July 2015
"The governance landscape as you will be aware has been developing rapidly over the past three years. In overall terms there has been an increased focus on the sustainability and longevity of companies by the regulators which is reflected in the governance code and guidance provided by the FRC."
How To Get To The Top Table
...and stay there. At the latest HR in the Boardroom event, board expert Helen Pitcher shared her top tips for ensuring HRDs are effective at the very highest levels.
By Jenny Roper for HR Magazine, July 2015
“In an ideal world boards should be looking to people with HR skills who can contribute to really important and key areas. In reality they often don’t”.
Criticaleye Publish ‘Walking the Tightrope’ Research
Are You Taking Your Fun, Safety and Security For Granted?
IWF Congratulate Members’ Recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours
June 24, 2015
The International Women's Forum UK recently congratulated their members who have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Warning over new rules for non-executive directors in financial services
By Adam Brown for IR Magazine, 19 June 2015
Upcoming regulations will force higher fees and lower quality of non-executive director candidates, Tyzack Partners says.
Upcoming UK regulations meant to hold non-executive directors responsible for breaches of good governance may have a ‘dramatic and damaging’ effect on board diversity, according to a report by executive search firm Tyzack Partners and board effectiveness consultancy Advanced Boardroom Excellence.
NEDs forced to become 'quasi-executives'
By Jenny Roper for HR Magazine, 18 Jun 2015
Boards are increasingly pushing non-executive directors (NEDs) into an executive level of responsibility, leaving them to exact a careful balance between impartiality and increased closeness to the business, a report from board effectiveness consultancy Advanced Boardroom Excellence has found.
Walking the Tightrope of Board Responsibility found that what is expected of NEDs now far outstrips NED remuneration, and a heightened environment of board governance regulation is exerting more pressure on NEDs to scrutinise, for example, company remuneration policies more closely.
Non-Executive roles great, but in Financial Services? “No thanks”
New research suggests that ‘regulation creep’ is deterring NEDs looking at roles in Financial Services
Incoming regulations designed to make company boards more accountable for corporate failings could have a dramatic and damaging effect on the diversity on Britain’s biggest financial services businesses and the way their Boards are run, according to a new report.
Advanced Boardroom Excellence, a leading board effectiveness consultancy, and Tyzack Partners, the international executive search firm, are highlighting that the financial services sector could be in for a shock when it comes to recruiting new blood from 2016 onwards.
The report, entitled ‘Walking the Tightrope of Board Responsibility – a Difficult Balancing Act’, suggests that the introduction of the ‘Senior Managers’ Regime’ next year could act as a deterrent to and lead to a narrowing of experienced and capable business people considering non-executive directorships at leading financial services companies.
