The Real Challenge is Only Just Beginning

Leaders Insight - The Role of an Non-Executive Director with Chris Beck

Chris Beck has established himself as a non-executive chairman with a proven track record of creating shareholder value through a combination of organic growth strategies and acquisition over the last five years.In his roles as non-executive chairman, he has actively supported management with his extensive operational and situational leadership experience across retail, manufacturing, global supply chain, online, fulfilment, distribution, International reach and leveraging Technology as an enabler. Prior to his more recent non-executive career Chris was an executive director of Card factory Plc for 15 years leading supply, distribution, purchasing, business development and IT at Board level through a number of refinancing’s, a private equity investment, four acquisitions and a subsequent MBO and IPO and remaining until 2019. Chris is a qualified accountant having started his professional career with Grant Thornton in 1992 and held a number of roles in Corporate Recovery and Corporate Finance across the Midlands and Yorkshire before leaving to join Card Factory in 2007.Our very own Michael Ball, Partner at The CFO Partnership sat down with Chris to get his take on all aspects of being a NED.1.How would you define the role of a Non-Executive Director both in terms of core responsibilities but also some of the less obvious aspects to it?There is a clearly defined role of the NED providing an independent and external lens on the business together with providing guidance, challenge and support over the effective strategic direction. There are several more formal areas such as governance and remuneration, where the use of NEDs in a larger organisation can provide a framework to ensure the interests of the shareholders are considered and protected. In appointing an NED, there is usually a desire on the part of the business to appoint a person who, not only can effectively deliver on those areas outlined above, but can also bring some expertise in the sector, similar situational experiences or access to contacts and resources. NEDs often develop key relationships with the Executive Directors, providing support and assisting in their development as a leader and in other softer skills, becoming a trusted advocate of the business and often those individuals.2.What were the most important experiences and skills from your former Executive career that you have relied on since making the switch to a Non-Executive career?Communication skills and developing relationships remain front and centre of transferrable skills. Being able to bring examples of situational experience from executive roles are the most additive, providing context and solutions to real world challenges and issues the business may face from time to time. This includes learning from mistakes made so that the business has a greater chance of getting this right first time. Where there is crossover in sector experience and situational experience this often develops in to providing access to contacts and networks where there is proven experience in meeting the businesses needs to an issue or opportunity.3.What are your opinions about developing the relationship between an MD or CEO and a Non-Exec? What is critically important in building a successful partnership and providing the right support to them and the board?I think in all roles as an NED developing relationships with the wider board and senior leadership team is vitally important. Whilst this may be more structured in a larger corporate or PLC, in my current roles I play an active role in supporting and mentoring the existing board and a number of senior leaders that could well progress through to board positions. Developing these people I believe is integral to the wider strategy and culture as the way in which those relationships work, and associated behaviours, is often used to role model what good looks like to the wider teams.4.Is it important for an NED to have experience in the sector the business operates in?One of the most important aspects for any potential NED and those making the appointment from within the business is to clearly align on what it is that is required from an NED for that specific business. In larger corporates it is often easier to establish this, as the role may well be a replacement appointment or the addition of a further non exec to meet a clearly defined brief. In growing SMEs, I have found it necessary to work through the clarity of what is required and whilst in many instances, sector experience is important, parallels in situational leadership are equally, if not more important, and examples I have seen have been to include Digital Transformation and Geographical reach in to new markets or territories. The pace of professionalisation within organisational design and systems to support growth or readiness for a future transaction often lend towards a NED with experience of these situations rather than sector specific experience. Clearly both will be differentiators amongst potential candidates. 5.How did you approach making the transition from Executive to Non-Executive and what tips would you give someone else looking to start building a client portfolio?I had a clear plan that I wanted to pursue a small number of NED roles following retirement from Executive roles. I think it is very important to consider what you are wanting to achieve from such roles, for me my motivation was to work with interesting, growth businesses with good management where I could see my own experiences supporting and adding value. Having worked hard to achieve a work life balance for myself location was a factor, notwithstanding technology I wanted to make sure I was able to support in person without compromising on the quality of life I had achieved. I was fortunate enough to take on a Chair role in a charity connected to my previous executive role and also took on a further trustee role in the charity sector. Both were really valuable to demonstrate governance but also helped with behaviours and the transition to an NED. I would encourage any Executive thinking towards an NED career to actively try and gain experience in that space, in conjunction with their existing executive role, whether that is for another corporate or a charity and will be more relevant to those individuals working at operational board level, perhaps with less visibility to the governance aspects of a company. There are some good causes and membership of the IOD is highly beneficial to refresh and stay up to date on company law and changes in governance.6.Are new technologies like Artificial Intelligence having much of an impact on your role as an NED yet and what impact do you think they could have over the next few years?The consideration of new technologies is always appropriate and, in most businesses, I am involved in the adoption of new technologies as an enabler to support growth or efficiency. We are seeing the adoption of AI to help businesses carry out tasks and process data which is supporting the board with more timely information on which to base decisions, however we are yet to replace an NED with AI!7.What do you find most satisfying and what are some of the most frustrating parts of working as an NED?There are several reasons people assume an NED role. For me its ultimately to use my skills and experience to support management teams reach better outcomes with my support. Those better outcomes are to see teams develop, improve financial performance and deliver strategic change. Seeing these things evolve at pace in businesses with my support and guidance is what motivates me. As an experienced executive director and operator, the biggest challenge is to support and guide, not to take over and do. It takes self-control, experience and most importantly to respect the Executive Team you are working with and their own roles. 8.What is the one single best piece of advice you were given early in your career that still holds true today?In any challenging situation consider the intent of others and not how they act or behave. In most scenarios the intent is correct, and alignment of the behaviour and style of others may just be different to yourself. Don’t let this drive the wrong emotions and behaviours. It makes it so much easier to create alignment, agree mutually beneficial actions and drive pace to almost every situation. Chris Beck’s journey from executive leadership to a seasoned Non-Executive Chairman reflects a wealth of experience, adaptability, and strategic insight. His ability to support and guide management teams while using his deep industry knowledge has proven invaluable in driving growth and shareholder value. With a strong focus on relationship-building, governance, and the evolving role of technology, Chris demonstrates the impact a well-rounded NED can have on a business. His reflections on leadership, mentorship, and strategic decision-making provide valuable lessons for those looking to transition into non-executive roles. As businesses continue to navigate change and expansion, the role of an experienced NED like Chris will remain cricial in shaping their future success.

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As we move towards Step 4 in the Government’s Roadmap to easing lockdown, businesses are looking at how they best navigate the coming months – and even years – as they consider what the new normal will be in terms of their day-to-day operations.

Whilst there is still, inevitably, much uncertainty about what the future holds – not least about whether restrictions will indeed be eased further in the next few weeks – organisations throughout the region will have, for some time now, been planning how they will move forward. Particular attention will be given to how they will look to manage their employees and the fine balance that needs to be bridged between continuing to work from home and a return to pre-COVID operations.

For some, ourselves included, the return to offices and workplaces began last summer when restrictions initially started to ease but for many, perhaps due to circumstances surrounding the nature of the business or a desire to wait for more certainty before making a commitment, it is only now that firmer decisions are being taken about what the way forward will look like.

In some ways, whilst hugely disruptive, and for some hugely devasting, the short, sharp shock of the country being forced into lockdown in March 2020 was an easier situation for employers to handle than the one currently being faced. There was no choice. The situation was at least clear; businesses had to do whatever was needed to get their teams set up and running from home as quickly and as efficiently as they possibly could. And whilst the optimists amongst us possibly viewed it as a temporary situation lasting (hopefully) a matter of weeks – at worst months – even the most pessimistic were unlikely to have envisaged that we would still be conducting meetings via Zoom or Teams and may not have seen colleagues in person in well over a year (or at all if they started a new role!).

The question of ‘what happens next?’ is not one which there is a universal answer with different approaches being considered and for some, decisions not being taken until well into 2022. Working from home has, in the most part, been quite successful; and even for those businesses for whom pre-COVID it would not have even been on the table for discussion, naturally the questions are now being asked – do we even need to return to the office at all?

Employers are faced with several potentially tricky dilemmas. Some employees may be desperate for a return to normal workplace life, others may have grown accustomed to the flexibility and more relaxed work life balance of being based at home. Some industries – such as manufacturing - may have to also consider how they handle situations where some roles are clearly defined as workplace-based versus those where they could be done remotely. Do they take a one-size-fits-all approach or do they try and meet the needs of their employees on an individual basis and if so, where do the compromises need to take place and how do you build unity and inclusion?

In the most part, there has been a collective ‘get through it the best we can’ spirit from both employers and employees. However, a more permanent shift will throw open several other considerations including the provision of suitable equipment, health and safety reviews and security measures to protect sensitive information.

From a recruitment perspective, the decisions that are made now could have a significant impact on a company’s ability to attract and retain talent moving forward. Those that feel unhappy with the outcome – whether that is a return to the office or continuing to work from home – may find it is the push that they need to look for an alternative role. And given that all businesses, even those of similar sizes, in the same sectors, even direct competitors, will all potentially be putting in place slightly different arrangements, factors which may previously have not even been part of the decision-making process could now the very thing which tips the balance in favour of one job offer over another.

There is also potential to muddy the waters when it comes to identifying what the ideal candidate looks like when briefing a new recruitment assignment. Previously simple criteria such as ‘a commute of no more than an hour’ suddenly no longer matters when everybody in the organisation is home-based, potentially opening up a much larger pool of candidates from which to draw from. However, this does not necessarily make the process any easier and without real clarity from the outset, it will likely, lead to a blurring of lines as a more varied range of decision-making factors come into play.

Employees also have questions that they need to ask themselves. Creating a makeshift work area within the family home on a temporary basis is one thing – but if the arrangement becomes more permanent, what do they need to have in place? Is there the space available to create a dedicated workspace on a long-term basis? There will also undoubtedly be less ‘turning a blind eye’ to a colleague’s poor wi-fi connection as employers, team members, clients and customers become less forgiving than they were towards those ‘making the best of it’ in difficult circumstances.

In addition, they need to look at how their career prospects may potentially be affected. Do they possess the necessarily skills to effectively manage their teams remotely on a longer-term basis? How to do they motivate and inspire when they may work alongside some team members day-to-day whilst others are based at home? Ensuring a consistency of message across a more disparate team or organisation will be a new test of leadership for many and one which will require those looking to make the step up into a more senior role or move roles to have a robust, yet flexible, approach to making it a success.

Unlike the initial plunge into lockdown, the emergence will not be done overnight. It could be many months, if not years, before we can fully regain a sense of normality. I am often asked if I expect that we will all eventually return to a more traditional Monday to Friday 9-5 office-based culture; my reply is always the same “certainly not any time soon”. Indeed, the coming months and possibly years, will most likely see businesses try and piece together the different steps, as if they are trying to master some tricky choreography, as they attempt to settle on the ideal solution.

During the first lockdown I heard a phrase which has stayed with me during these times; we might all be in the same boat but we are not sailing the same sea. That certainly rang true however now it is not just the sea that is different, the boats are too.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment and executive search of finance and accountancy professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for temporary, interim and permanent roles across the full spectrum of positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today and speak to a member of our team about your recruitment needs or next career move.

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