Second cohort of graduates receive certificates at gala ceremony in Riyadh
• GCC BDI & Financial Academy celebrate ‘100 Certified Board Directors’ mark
• GCC BDI wins Leading Experts in Board Director Development – GCC award
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, June 19, 2022: GCC Board Directors Institute [GCC BDI], a not-for-profit organisation that guides board directors of organisations in acquiring the know-how and tools to reach and sustain effective corporate governance, in collaboration with The Financial Academy in Saudi Arabia, today awarded certificates to 135 graduates on successful completion of the GCC BDI Certificate and Diploma in Board Directorship and Board Secretary Certification Programmes.
This is the second cohort of graduates in the board directorship and board secretary certificate programmes and the first in-person graduation ceremony since the programmes got under way in 2019. The Financial Academy is the awarding body for all GCC BDI certification programmes.
Of the 135 graduates, there were 100 Certified Board Directors, 24 Certified Board Secretaries, and 11 Directors who received the Diploma award. With this, GCC BDI and The Financial Academy celebrated the ‘100 Certified Board Directors’ milestone.
The graduates were honoured at a graduation ceremony held at the Crowne Plaza in Riyadh. His Excellency Mohammed El-Kuwaiz, Chairman of the Capital Market Authority, KSA, delivered the keynote address. Other speakers included Mana Alkhamsan, Director General of The Financial Academy, Jane Valls, Executive Director, GCC BDI, Dr Chris Pierce and Allison Kibirige – Senior External Associates at GCC BDI, and Mutlaq Al Morished, GCC BDI Governor and CEO of Tasnee.
Commenting on the graduation ceremony and the milestone event, Jane Valls, Executive Director at GCC BDI, said: “The evolving business landscape, especially in the aftermath of the global pandemic, has put increased emphasis on professional development – particularly in leadership roles such as Board Directors and Board Secretaries. The changing landscape requires increased agility and the need to upskill and keep current has become extremely critical. We congratulate and commend all our graduates in board directorship and board secretary certification programmes here in Riyadh today. Each successful graduate has been assessed in accordance with the requirements of their respective programmes and to international standards.”
“The pivotal role played by board members in the direction and strategic planning of the organisation has never been more important, and we are happy to be collaborating with The Financial Academy in Saudi Arabia in developing a generation of professional board directors and board secretaries who are fast tracking their professional careers and, at the same time, leading the way by demonstrating their commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance.”
Mana Alkhamsan, Director General, The Financial Academy, said: “As part of our mandate to upskill professionals and fostering corporate governance in the region, The Financial Academy is proud of its partnership with GCC BDI. The graduation ceremony today is an endorsement of the demand for the board directorship and board secretary certification programmes. These certification programmes are a step forward in supporting the development and advancement of good governance and economic development underpinning Vision 2030. Congratulations to all graduates.”
All the graduates completing their Diploma in Board Directorship have decided to continue with their professional development beyond Certification and have all demonstrated an internationally accepted level of knowledge and skills required to make a valuable contribution to any board.
Samer S. Al-Solh, a graduate who passed the Diploma in Board Directorship programme, said: “The programme offered by GCC BDI, in partnership with The Financial Academy, is very effective and customised to the needs of today’s business environment. It offers pertinent tools and strategies, which has helped me understand corporate governance and acquire knowledge of the best board practices, as well as enhance the understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the board director in corporate governance.”
Monirah AlSwaydani, another graduate who received her Board Secretary Certification at the ceremony, stated: “This programme was a practical treasure trove of the role of a Board Secretary – delving more into the corporate governance practices in an organisation rather than the technical skills and experience. The course offered intricate knowledge, skills, and practical tips for carrying out the duties of a Board Secretary.”
The Certified Board Secretary programme is a foundation course for board secretaries, aimed at enabling them to act as mediators to inform, communicate, advise, and liaise between the board and management teams, as well as between organisations and their shareholders and stakeholders.
In a related milestone, GCC BDI has won the Leading Experts in Board Director Development 2022 – GCC award by the UAE Business Awards [MEA Markets]. The award symbolises the hard work and outstanding efforts achieved by GCC BDI in the space. GCC BDI won the ‘Best Professional Business Organisation – Dubai’ award by MEA Markets last year.
“We are very proud to be celebrating our 15th anniversary this year and this award to GCC BDI by UAE Business Awards is a significant endorsement of our work in board director development. We thank the jury for this honour which will motivate us to help more board directors and board secretaries and more boards improve their corporate governance and board effectiveness in line with our Mission.” added Jane Valls.
Founded in 2007, GCC BDI’s mission is to promote the highest professional standards of corporate governance and directorship through capacity building, advocacy, and the adoption of sound governance practices. As the only director institute from the GCC region to be admitted to the Global Network of Director Institutes (GNDI), GCC BDI brings together over 2400 members to explore the evolving role and value of boards as well as appropriate corporate governance standards.
About GCC Board Directors Institute
Launched in 2007, the GCC Board Directors Institute (GCC BDI) is an independent not-for-profit organisation that helps board directors of entities, from family-owned businesses to listed companies, to acquire the know-how and tools to achieve and sustain effective governance.
GCC BDI is supported by seven leading regional corporations and professional services firms who serve as our strategic partners: First Abu Dhabi Bank, National Bank of Bahrain, SABIC, Saudi Aramco; Allen & Overy; Heidrick & Struggles; McKinsey & Company; and PwC. In addition, we are also supported by a number of corporate affiliates including Elm, The Saudi British Bank, SIPCHEM, Saudi Telecom Company, The Saudi Investment Bank and Tasnee as well as the regional regulatory authorities. For more information, please visit www.gccbdi.org.
For more information, please contact:
Mehwish Sarwar
GCC Board of Directors Institute
mehwish.sarwar@gccbdi.org