Certified Directors Programme
Course Overview
The Certified Directors Programme is an elite training programme uniquely designed for experienced directors aiming to deepen their expertise,
sharpen their strategic acumen and solidify their experience with a qualification. The programme is structured to enhance your capabilities in four key areas: leadership, governance, finance, and strategy.
This programme not only prepares participants to meet the challenges of the role but also empowers them to make informed decisions that drive organisational success and address the complex challenges faced by today’s leaders.
Through a blend of expert tutor-led sessions, interactive workshops, and real-world case studies, you will gain the knowledge and tools necessary to excel in today’s dynamic and challenging business environment.
On successful completion of 8 classroom days, participants become eligible to complete the CMI Level 8 Certificate in Strategic Direction and Leadership, which is one of the most prestigious qualifications provided by the Chartered Management Institute, which is backed by the Royal Charter. This programme is designed specifically for those wishing to validate their classroom learning and industry expertise with a qualification.
Engage in interactive workshops, real-world case studies, hands-on exercises and peer learning to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.
Opportunities for participants to ask questions and engage with experts
Learn from experienced directors and industry experts who bring practical insights and experience to the classroom. Each tutor combines academic expertise with industry experience, enabling them to enrich theoretical concepts with practical insights and real-world applications.
Upon successful completion of all 8 classroom days, directors will have the opportunity to complete a CMI Level 8 Certificate in Strategic Direction and Leadership that recognises your expertise and commitment to excellence in directorship and board leadership.
Build a network of peers and industry leaders to share experiences and best practices as you work through the programme to become a Certified Director.
Strong leadership is fundamental to the success of any business. The Advanced Leadership for Directors’ module is a two-day intensive course designed to develop leaders to effectively manage risk, seize opportunities, and drive change. This programme introduces both theoretical and practical research on human behaviour, leadership styles and emphasises the importance of self-awareness in both team and personal development.
To operate effectively, it is essential that senior executives understand financial concepts and can contribute to financial discussions at the highest level. The two-day Finance for Non-Finance Directors module will outline a director’s responsibility for the provision of financial information, provide a deeper understanding of financial language, and develop the ability to interpret financial information more effectively. These insights provide the platform for executives to engage confidently in financial discussions and fulfil their legal obligations as custodians of the organisation they represent.
This module has been designed for those seeking to enhance their strategic oversight capabilities, it delves into the intricacies of board responsibilities, effective decision-making, and managing complex board dynamics. Participants will explore global governance frameworks, risk management and shareholder engagement. Through case studies, interactive sessions, and expert insights, the program equips leaders with the tools to navigate governance challenges, foster sustainable corporate practices, and drive continuous board improvement, ensuring alignment with long-term corporate objectives in a rapidly evolving business environment.
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An effective strategy will carry your business forward to where you want it to be. The Advanced strategic planning for director’s module is a two-day intensive course designed to differentiate participants from their peer group and enhance their abilities in developing successful strategies for a variety of organisational objectives. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of strategic planning, analysis, and implementation, including risk management, market dynamics, portfolio management, innovation, and strategic partnerships, empowering directors to lead their organisations effectively and achieve the strategic objectives of the organisation.
Your role as a Director is one that requires a broad set of skills and knowledge along with a mindset that enables you to react decisively to an ever-changing landscape. Enrol on the Certified Directors programme and you will learn how to…
Drive organisational change more effectively: Identify and implement growth strategies that align with organisational objectives, and adopt a flexible approach to strategy selection to adapt to a rapidly evolving marketplace.
Become a more impactful and strategic leader: Utilise established leadership models to inspire and empower teams, maximise their effectiveness, and adjust your approach to meet the demands of various situations and objectives.
Enhance your ability to identify, assess, and manage risk: Gain a comprehensive understanding of regulations, the responsibilities of a director, and the board’s role. Learn from how other organisations manage risks using proven frameworks and interactive sessions.
Expand your knowledge and skills in financial management: Deepen your understanding of your own organisation’s financial operations. Develop greater confidence in interpreting financial information and feel empowered to challenge decisions impacting your projects and organisation.
This qualification is designed for CEO’s, Directors and Global Leaders who have the responsibility for developing and implementing effective, ethical and collective strategies across their organisation.
Learners should be either operating in a Global/multinational organisation and have the ability to explore the complexity and challenges of global operations or strategically look beyond the confines of their own organisation and apply critical thinking and analysis to the complexity of their organisational operations and supply chain.
In order to be accepted onto the Certified Directors programme participants must have a minimum of 2 years’ experience in a director level role and have had responsibility for developing and implementing strategy.
Completion Time
Become a Certified Director within 12 months!
You have a maximum of 18 months to complete your 4 classroom modules, and a further 2 years to complete your accreditation. For those wishing to complete the modules in a shorter time period, it is possible to complete the classroom days in 4-6 months if you have the availability to attend the course dates, and the accreditation can be achieved in a minimum of 6-9 months
Andrew Caroll
Andrew has over 25 years’ experience as a consultant and independent director, working as a coach and facilitator with boards and senior leadership teams across both the public and private sector.
Andrew’s focus is strategy and organisational culture with an emphasis on accelerating change through innovation, strategic thinking and deepened leadership engagement.
Educated at Oxford and London universities, Andrew was previously Consulting Manager at Mercuri Urval, Associate at Henley Management College and HR Director at General Accident (FTSE100 Insurer) with responsibility for strategic development and the senior leadership team. As a Chartered Director and Fellow of the Institute of Directors, he also served as a Non-Executive Director for businesses in the retail, fintech, insurance & manufacturing sectors.
Andrew is passionate to unlock potential in complex situations by getting disparate groups working strategically, engaged around shared goals & embracing new ways of working; ensuring business strategies properly align to enhance people engagement & performance
Anne Mccarthy
Anne has over 25 years’ experience in Organisational Design, change management, Leadership and HR along with Non-Executive Director board experience.
Having worked in association with a world-leading business school, it is this combination of academic knowledge and practical experience that enables her to make a difference to the people and organisations she works with.
Anne specialises in developing the capability of leaders and demonstrates this with each organisation she works with, she is a successful leader of change and is a passionate believer in setting people up to succeed.
Anne has worked on change projects in a variety of settings from unionised environments to financial services, including her long spanning career at The Royal Mail as HR Director and Group Learning and Development Director where she worked directly with the CEO on multiple change projects
Jean Pousson
Jean brings over 34 years of management consultancy, training, facilitation and coaching experience to the table, having worked in well over 30 countries.
In a typical year Jean will interface with approximately 500 company directors and about 8 to 10 Boards. His formative years were in banking with Barclays Bank where he spent many years assessing risks of small to medium sized businesses and Corporates. He has also worked with the UK TSB Banking Group where his last appointment was Group Director of Studies responsible for providing academic leadership to the Group.
Jean has both Executive and NonExecutive board experience and has been involved in over 100 board effectiveness reviews.
Jean was twice voted “Lecturer of the Year” for the professional body UK Finance. He has also conducted many strategic reviews and a number of one-to-one coaching to directors on financial awareness. He brings a practical feel to his lectures born out of continuing experience and has been known to make finance courses fun and lively.
Rebecca Holden
Rebecca is a senior corporate lawyer in a global law firm, Squire Patton Bogs. She has over 13 years of experience working on a diverse range of corporate law transactions, including M&A, private equity (PE) and venture capital transactions (advising both investors and management), solvent corporate restructurings and reorganisations, pre-pack acquisitions and general corporate law advisory including corporate governance.
Rebecca’s specialism lies in large-scale international cross-border deals and corporate reorganisations. She has also been fortunate to have advised clients on the ground in different jurisdictions, including Italy, India, Latvia and the Middle East.
Rebecca is well known for her dedication to client service and is particularly adept at advising on complex transactions with multiple stakeholders. Rebecca has experience of working with many sectors including life sciences, aviation, financial services, professional services, food & beverage and retail
Kate O'Sullivan
Kate is a motivational leader and coach with over 33 years’ experience in facilitating organisational design, development and transition for a broad range of companies, sectors and individuals. She holds a wealth of board experience and is especially adept at venturing constructive challenge and building strong relationships between the executives and non-executives of a board.
Kate is focused on helping companies understand that people are their greatest asset and in cultivating the environment and culture that enables leaders to raise their performance and deliver sustainable change.
Kate has a successful track record of working with a variety of stakeholders, to identify solutions to problems and implement strategies and operational plans - focused on the environment and culture that enables them to raise their performance and deliver sustainable change. She has a proven track record across a broad range of sectors and disciplines, developing strategic roadmaps for outstanding organisations including the University of York, Huntsman, ICI and British Rowing
