Nurturing a non-exec portfolio

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In September 2017, after 33 years in the City, I decided to leave Numis, the investment bank and stockbroker that I helped build, to ‘go plural’ with a portfolio of non-executive directorships. 

I was determined to leave in a bull market, singing and dancing, not weeping and wailing in a bear market. I had already been a non-executive director on two trusts – an investment trust and a venture capital trust – and, after 17 years at Numis, and as a main board executive director for the majority of that time, I thought I had the right level of experience and skill set to do the job.

According to the Institute of Directors, non-executive directors are appointed to bring independence, impartiality, wide experience, special knowledge and personal qualities to the board. In addition, an effective non-executive director is expected to: contribute to the strategic direction of the company; solve problems that arise efficiently; communicate with third parties; ensure ...