Boards play a vital role in delivering the long-term success of an organisation, shaping its purpose and values and ensuring a consistent, sustained performance.
The most effective boards never take success for granted. They constantly seek to improve, whether through steady incremental changes or by embracing the risks of transformation and innovation.
Successful boards understand that "business as usual" is no longer enough in today's complex, uncertain and ever-changing global environment. Leading-edge organisations focus on building financial capital while recognising that this alone is insufficient to ensure lasting success.
Externally facilitated board evaluations and effectiveness reviews provide boards with an invaluable opportunity to step back, assess their strengths and areas for improvement through an independent lens and implement changes to achieve their full potential.
Independent board evaluations are not merely a formality; they are essential for ensuring compliance with a range of regulatory requirements and industry guidelines.
In Ireland, boards must adhere to various regulations based on their industry:
While the specifics of these frameworks differ, the underlying principles remain consistent: boards must periodically conduct an independent review of their effectiveness to meet regulatory standards and drive long-term success.
Our board effectiveness reviews are tailored to the unique circumstances of our clients. We consider factors such as organisational size, complexity, maturity, regulatory environment and the level of risk associated with strategic objectives.
Our approach includes:
Planning meeting: A detailed planning session with the Chair to understand the organisation's specific challenges and priorities.
Bespoke survey design: Development of a tailored survey to gather Board member insights on performance against agreed themes. Whilst we have industry-specific templates, we always customise the survey to meet the client's specific circumstances.
Governance documentation review: An independent review of governance materials such as board packs, meeting minutes, membership profiles and attendance records.
Meeting observation: Where appropriate, observation of a board or committee meeting to assess dynamics and effectiveness in real time.
Stakeholder interviews: One-on-one interviews with board members, executives, and the board secretary to gain deeper insights into governance and performance.
Reporting and action planning:
If you would like to discuss how our board effectiveness reviews can drive meaningful improvement and long-term success in your organisation, please contact Maria Gannon, Head of Risk and Third Party Assurance.
Consulting partner Liam McKenna and director David O’Sullivan contributed to an Irish Times special report on Gen AI and its use within the Irish workforce. They talked about the risks and responsibilities and the role of strong governance combined with a clear strategy. The following is a summary of their points.
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The European Accessibility Act (EAA), Directive (EU) 2019/882, came into full effect on 28 June 2025. Below, we outline what it means, which businesses are affected, and what actions are required to comply
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The Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Act 2023 (the Act) will ensure that conduct risk will remain a key risk that all regulated financial services firms (firms) must be able to demonstrate it is proactively managing and mitigating. In all likelihood, one of the key impacts of the Act will be the elevation of conduct risk further up the Board’s risk agenda prioritisation in 2024 and...
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