PER Career Accelerator: Enhancing your board potential
Our recent PER Career Accelerator breakfast workshop was full of energy, ambition, and hard-won wisdom from the boardroom.
The discussion was candid, inspiring and full of humour, with plenty of actionable insights for aspiring non-executives.
Meet our mentors
Hosted by our Founder Director, Gail McManus, the session brought together a powerhouse panel of mentors who’ve successfully carved out impactful board and leadership careers.
Ronnie McCombe, who has chaired over 200 boards, shared what sets outstanding non-execs apart. Kathryn Fleming, CFO of Control Risks, spoke about nurturing your board to get the best from them. Zoe Clements reflected on her transition from private equity to non-exec roles, sharing honest insights on early challenges and pro-bono work. Rachel Tranter, co-founder of Women on Boards, offered practical advice on becoming non-exec ready.
Why non-executive roles matter
Non-executive roles can be transformative, professionally and personally. They stretch your leadership capabilities, broaden your strategic outlook and enhance your influencing skills. Many attendees were particularly inspired by the potential for impact in the non-profit space. These roles align your skills with purpose and often act as a launchpad for a successful non-exec portfolio.
What makes a great non-executive?
The mentors shared what truly distinguishes great non-executives:
- Emotional intelligence (EQ): Understanding people and reading the room
- Sharp analysis: Hearing what’s not being said
- Sector credibility: Knowing when to challenge and when to support
- Judgment & integrity: Always acting in the long-term interests of the organisation
The Chair's perspective
Chairing a board is a distinct challenge and requires both gravitas and adaptability. Key success factors include:
- Building trust across the board, and often behind the scenes
- Aligning strategy with execution, creating unity between execs and non-execs
- Flexing your style to suit the culture and the maturity of the business
Our mentors exemplified these qualities and generously shared their insights.
From executive to non-executive
Transitioning from an executive to a non-executive means stepping back from solving problems and leaning into strategic guidance. Some of the key mindset shifts discussed included:
- Focusing on the long-term direction, not day-to-day fixes
- Engaging deeply with the business: meet the teams, tour the sites, understand the culture
- Ask high-value questions that open up new thinking
- Recognise that your voice carries weight – use it thoughtfully and sparingly
Getting started: securing your first non-executive role
The toughest part is often landing the first role. Our speakers showed it’s more than possible:
- Begin with charity or non-profit boards - ideally linked to causes you care about
- Financial professionals might target investment trusts as a strong stepping stone
- Develop a tailored board CV with a clear, confident pitch that showcases your strategic value, sector insight and ability to influence
- Build a strong network - connect with other non-execs, chairs and specialist headhunters
Final takeaway: start now
The message from the room was loud and clear: start now. Begin crafting your pitch, expanding your network, and exploring opportunities that match your passion and expertise.
A non-executive role is a powerful way to continue your leadership journey, offering rich opportunities for personal and professional growth. Everyone in the room left inspired to take the first step.
A non-executive role is a powerful way to continue your leadership journey, offering rich opportunities for personal and professional growth. Everyone in the room left inspired to take the first step.
Click below to read Gail's profile.
Gail's profile
