Women Get On Board Roundtable Event

How to Chair a Board or Committee – Sept. 14, 2016

By: Andrea Hill

SkyLaw was pleased to partner with Women Get on Board to host a roundtable event titled “How to Chair a Board or Committee” on Wednesday September 14, 2016 at the Verity Club in downtown Toronto.

Engagement and preparation were the themes of the panel discussion, lead by panelists Sharon Ranson and Michael Skutezky, and moderated by SkyLaw’s founder Kevin West.

Ms. Ranson, a corporate director and entrepreneur, drew on her broad experience chairing boards and committees in industry sectors which include banking, finance, insurance, consumer products, and not-for-profit initiatives to emphasize the importance of engagement in the role of a chair.

Reflecting on the many ways in which being a chair went beyond the basic “nuts and bolts” of running a meeting, Ms. Ranson noted that the chair was often the person who set the interpersonal tone of the board or committee environment, and emphasized the importance of a chair being engaged, approachable, objective, and inclusive.  Strong leadership was important, Ms. Ranson pointed out, but the attributes of leadership include being able to bring people together, and getting a sense of what the other members of the board or committee will need from the chair in order to be most effective in their own roles.

Mr. Skutezky, a lawyer with a distinguished career in private practice and banking, previously served as corporate counsel and secretary for Century Iron Mines Corporation and currently chairs the board of publicly-listed Western Uranium Corp.  Mr. Skutezky noted that being thoroughly prepared for meetings was one of the most important qualities of a chair.  However, the attributes of leadership, he noted, included being a good listener and being able to select the right people to tackle the right challenges.

The panelists agreed that taking on the role of a chair typically includes a significant boost in responsibility.  From ensuring that meeting materials are distributed in a timely manner, to working through sensitive issues ahead of the meeting, to ensuring that everyone has a voice but knowing when to adjourn a meeting, a chair’s role involves complex decision-making and insightful social skills, in addition to all of the business expertise involved in leading a company.

The panel was presented by Women Get on Board, a member-based company that connects, promotes and empowers women to join corporate boards.  Founded by Deborah Rosati and Susan Varty, both of whom are entrepreneurs with experience in corporate governance, executive recruiting and online personal branding, Women Get on Board aims to inspire women on their journey to corporate boards by sharing lessons learned and offering networking opportunities with women who serve as corporate directors and executives.

SkyLaw would like to thank Women Get on Board for the wonderful partnership opportunity, as well as extend our gratitude to the panelists, Sharon Ranson and Michael Skutezky, for sharing their wealth of knowledge on chairing boards and committees. For information about upcoming events and workshops, visit womengetonboard.ca.