Board Excellence is a leading provider of external board evaluations and reviews in Ireland, the UK and over 35 countries internationally. We have a strong track record in delivering external board evaluations that add genuine value to the board across the following sectors;
- Listed stock-market company boards and corporate boards
- Private Equity, Venture Capital and Impact Investment Firm portfolio boards
- Small Medium Enterprises, Family Business and Private Company boards
- State, Semi-State and Public Sector boards
- Charity and Non-Profit boards
- Membership Body, Trade Association and Co-Operative boards
Board evaluation is increasingly acknowledged as a vital process for improving board performance and dynamics whatever the size, status or type of organisation. Our philosophy is that a highly effective board of directors makes a significant contribution to the success of the organisation beyond its statutory requirements and is a powerful source of added value for the organisation, its customers, shareholders, directors, employees and many other stakeholders.
The comprehensive nature and objectivity of our evaluation programme will, if thoroughly embraced by the board and executive team, establish a strong foundation to assess the current strengths and weaknesses of the board and drive a measurable plan of sustained improvement.
Our external board evaluation programme consists of the following phases;
- Completion by the board and executive team members of a confidential board effectiveness questionnaire
- Review of the last 12 months of board and committee materials, governance materials, Committee Terms of Reference and key materials in the area of culture, ESG, cyber-security, risk management, strategy and shareholder/stakeholder engagement etc.
- Confidential one-to-one interviews with board directors and senior executives
- Optional attendance as an observer at a board and selected committee meetings
- Development of a draft external board evaluation report for initial review by the Board Chair
- Presentation of the draft report key findings and recommendations to the board
As part of our standard external board evaluation/review programme and representative of our strong commitment to support our board clients drive sustained improvement in their board effectiveness and governance, we provide at no additional cost to our board clients, 12 months of follow-on support to the Board Chair, Secretary and CEO on;
- Implementation of the board evaluation recommendations
- New board effectiveness, governance and performance issues arising during that period
Some of Our Clients
What Our Clients Say
“We recently engaged with Board Excellence to perform an external review of the performance of our Board. Under the guidance of Ros O’Shea, Board Excellence delivered a comprehensive assessment that was professional, rigorous, and fair. Universally, our Directors had affirming comments about their interviews with Ros. I found that Ros was particularly adept in bringing forward best practices that will help the performance of our Board as we move forward. The approach taken was not cookie cutter in any fashion. Board Excellence tailored our assessment to our Industry and our circumstances. I have no reservations in recommending Board Excellence to others.”
“Board Excellence were selected to perform an external evaluation of the effectiveness of the board of DAA plc. Ros O’Shea led the process in a thoroughly professional and engaging manner which delivered a comprehensive assessment of the board’s performance including the board structure, committees, governance and effectiveness. This resulted in an excellent final report with well-informed insights and recommendations that have helped to further strengthen our board’s performance. I would highly recommend Ros and Board Excellence”
The Irish Times DAC recruited Board Excellence to carry out an independent effectiveness evaluation of the Irish Times Board and its sub-committees, recognising the unique nature of the Irish Times organisation and corporate structure. Martina Maher followed a very clear and staged process involving a review of historical Board documentation followed by questionnaires and one-on-one interviews to elicit the input for all Board members and selected members of senior management. She also attended Board and subcommittee meetings as an observer. Martina then synthesised her findings in a clear and understandable report with detailed recommendations on a range of changes in structure and systems that were accepted by the Board at its meeting in June 2024. As Board Chair I have no doubt that the implementation of the changes recommended by Board Excellence will assist in the sustained improvement and enhancement of the Irish Times Board’s effectiveness and performance.
“Bord Na Mona selected Board Excellence to carry out a three year external Board Evaluation, this was following a tender process to select the most appropriate party to do the work. The project was managed and led by Martina Maher. The Board were extremely pleased with the process and the professional approach adopted from beginning to end. That started with Board Excellence understanding the Company, key issues, reviewing various material and speaking with selected people to ensure both the questionnaire and one to one meetings were relevant. Key for us was Board Excellence understanding the brief, were succinct in meetings and presented their findings in a way that was challenging, but easily understood. The Board are satisfied that Board Excellence brought fresh thinking and specifics in terms of practical improvements that could be made. We have no hesitation in recommendation Board Excellence and Martina to others.”
“Global Shares engaged the services of Board Excellence to provide external evaluation and strategic consultancy to our Board and Executive team. Kieran’s collaborative style and easy manner proved key to positive engagement with all board members, which in turn enabled a thorough review of the board structure, its governance and effectiveness. The recommendations and findings presented to us by Kieran, were clear and structured. We would highly recommend Kieran and Board Excellence to any Board that wishes to improve their board performance, composition, and corporate governance.”
“Kieran Moynihan of Board Excellence completed a very comprehensive review of our board structure and practices. The nature of the engagement was thorough and forthright but at the same time commercial and pragmatic. The insights and advice received from Kieran will enable our board to perform at a higher level and to work more effectively with management to deliver ambitious targets for our business. I would highly recommend the engagement of Kieran and Board Excellence in assessing a board and advising on how best to deliver enhanced board effectiveness.”
“We engaged Board Excellence (BE) to conduct an external review of our Board’s effectiveness and governance. The collaboration was highly pleasant, professional, and goal-oriented. Under the experienced leadership of Ros O’Shea, BE delivered a detailed, professional, and balanced analysis with pragmatic recommendations tailored to our company’s specific needs, while also considering the nuances of our industry. We have already begun implementing some of these recommendations and are confident that we have taken a significant step toward enhancing the overall performance of our Board. We wholeheartedly recommend BE’s services without reservation.”
“The Irish Banking Culture Board engaged the services of Board Excellence to conduct an external Board effectiveness evaluation and found the process professional, structured, and well conducted. Martina was thorough in the application of the review, working in a collaborative fashion with all Directors, which helped get the most from the process. The report and findings were clearly presented and helpful for the Board. I would have no hesitation in recommending Martina and the Board Excellence team.”
“We commissioned Board Excellence to carry out an external evaluation of the board. The report that Kieran Moynihan produced was an impressive piece of work. It proved to be a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the board, a thorough examination of the board’s interaction with the executive as well as an appraisal of the board’s interaction with the wider world of our stakeholders. The report provided not only a benchmark of where we are now, but also gave us proposals and initiatives to improve our performance as a board in the future. I would like to thank Kieran for the enormous amount of work he put into the evaluation, he was a pleasure to work with, proving to be both challenging and constructive. It was invaluable to have this external view of the way we work and his recommendations will be of enormous value to us in the challenging times that lie ahead.”
“We engaged Board Excellence to carry out an external evaluation of our Board and Standing Committees and a review of our governance framework documentation. This review, which happens every three years, included questionnaires and individual meetings with all of our Board members, Board Standing Committee members and Senior Leadership Team. The review was thorough and insightful with some great feedback and recommendations. We highly recommend the services of Board Excellence.”
“We engaged Board Excellence for our external Board evaluation which is a key part of our governance arrangements. From the outset I was so impressed with Kieran Moynihan’s responsiveness, clear and thorough approach to the evaluation. Kieran’s expertise gained over many years was very evident as we went through the evaluation process and he was very insightful in understanding the complexity of a charitable organisation operating in the challenging and dynamic healthcare sector. Kieran was a pleasure to work with and he couldn’t have been more helpful to me throughout the evaluation process.”
“David O’Callaghan of Board Excellence was engaged to independently evaluate the governance and board effectiveness of Core Credit Union. Our board has previously worked with David on another project earlier this year. David has an excellent deep knowledge and understanding of the Credit Union sector as well as the dynamics and intricacies of board structures. David’s role was to provide a high-level governance evaluation of the board, structures, committees, performance and the relationship with senior management and CEO. David took a hands-on approach meeting with all relevant parties and observing a range of meetings. This resulted in the composition of a comprehensive and excellent final report. We have already implemented a number of his recommendations and we would consider that David’s contribution has given us the tools to improve our overall performance as a board.”
Board Excellence is a leading provider of external board evaluations and reviews in the UK, Ireland and over 35 countries internationally. We have a strong track record in delivering external board evaluations that add genuine value to the board across the following sectors;
- Listed stock-market company boards and corporate boards
- Private Equity, Venture Capital and Impact Investment Firm portfolio boards
- Small Medium Enterprises, Family Business and Private Company boards
- State, Semi-State and Public Sector boards
- Charity and Non-Profit boards
- Membership Body, Trade Association and Co-Operative boards
The comprehensive nature and objectivity of our evaluation programme has been accredited by the Chartered Governance Institute and will, if thoroughly embraced by the board and executive team, establish a strong foundation to assess the current strengths and weaknesses of the board and drive a measurable plan of sustained improvement. Board Excellence has extensive experience in reviewing Board performance across a range of Codes including the UK Corporate Governance Code, the QCA Code, the Wates Principles, the UK Charity Governance Code, the AFM Corporate Governance Code and the Corporate Governance Code for Central Government Departments.
Our external board evaluation programme consists of the following phases;
- Completion by the board and executive team members of a confidential board effectiveness questionnaire
- Review of the last 12 months of board and committee materials, governance materials, Committee Terms of Reference and key materials in the area of culture, ESG, cyber-security, risk management, strategy and shareholder/stakeholder engagement etc.
- Confidential one-to-one interviews with board directors and senior executives
- Optional attendance as an observer at a board and selected committee meetings
- Development of a draft external board evaluation report for initial review by the Board Chair
- Presentation of the draft report key findings and recommendations to the board
As part of our standard external board evaluation/review programme and representative of our strong commitment to support our board clients drive sustained improvement in their board effectiveness and governance, we provide at no additional cost to our board clients, 12 months of follow-on support to the Board Chair, Secretary and CEO on;
- Implementation of the board evaluation recommendations
- New board effectiveness, governance and performance issues arising during that period
Some of Our Clients
What Our Clients Say
“Border to Coast Pensions Partnership selected Board Excellence to conduct our Bi Annual external independent review of the effectiveness of our Board. As a regulated Asset Manager we felt that Board Excellence had the right experience and skill set to work with us. The approach, including the process and timetable was well managed and included the main board and board committees. The review was thorough and robust and the outputs helpful in terms of how we as a Board continue to develop and improve from a position of effectiveness. We worked with Paul George and Martina Maher who presented us with a useful set of findings incorporating Board support, future accountabilities and, Board dynamics, all of which are appropriate and proportionate to our business . The feedback session with the Board was excellent leading to some good debate and clarification of the actions we will now take forward in our plans. We would work with Board Excellence again and would recommend them to other Boards”
“Board Excellence delivered a robust and objective assessment of the Board. Paul George and Martina Maher clearly understood the context in which the Board was operating as a result of the rapidly growing nature of the business, the level of regulatory scrutiny given the Group’s ambitious plans for further growth and the resulting pressures placed on the Board. The report was clear, to the point with some pertinent and practical recommendations which will help our governance arrangements keep place with our changing environment.”
“Paul George did a great job for the NAO Board. He conducted our board effectiveness review with tact and rigour, bringing considerable experience and insight to the process and enabling us to become an even more effective Board as a result of the process.”
“Paul George and Sue Bonney recently completed a comprehensive Board Effectiveness Review for us. They have a well-established process for gathering evidence, apply sound judgement in interpreting that evidence and provided a clear and concise report with practical recommendations. Paul and Sue communicated professionally and effectively with us throughout the process and were prepared to listen and reflect on feedback and address our comments. We appreciated Paul and Sue’s experience and guidance throughout the process.”
“Our recent external board evaluation process with Board Excellence was a very thorough process, assessing our board effectiveness and performance in a wide range of areas. Kieran’s approach, while challenging and setting the bar high for the board, was very engaging, constructive and warmly embraced by the board. Kieran went the extra mile to understand our board, our dynamics as a board team, our strengths to build upon and identify opportunities to improve. We worked closely with Kieran to develop a practical roadmap based on the evaluation recommendations to drive sustained improvement in our board effectiveness, leveraging the deep experience and best practices Board Excellence have developed and we are already seeing the benefits of this. For any board looking to select a board evaluation practice to provide a robust honest evaluation of the board that adds genuine value, I warmly recommend Board Excellence.”
“I would certainly recommend Board Excellence to carry out a robust and thorough effectiveness review. Their UK lead Partner Paul George was quick to understand the issues and presented us with an excellent report with some very clear and pertinent recommendations.”
“I found the whole process of the Board Effectiveness Review was both efficient and effective. We are a complex organisation and the review took into account the nature of our structure, building on the initial understanding by talking with an appropriate range of stakeholders. Paul is a pleasure to work with and the underlying work was thorough and identified both areas for potential improvement and recommendations on how those improvements could be made. Thank you”
“We selected Board Excellence to work with us on our recent external board evaluation because we wanted Independent and practical advice on how to be a more effective board. Kieran Moynihan provided us with just that! His report was extremely thorough, pulled no punches and guided us on the actions to work on that would have the most impact for our Charity Board. Kieran also supported us with feedback to our senior leadership team which was important for us as they are critical to our overall board effectiveness. We have already seen the benefits of this work and have really enjoyed working with Kieran, who has been a critical friend to us, as well as advisor and coach!”
“Our Board evaluation process has done just what it should do, which is challenge us as a Board and make us think about ways to improve our performance for all of our stakeholders. The Board Excellence team ran a well-structured process, ensuring that multiple data inputs were used and put into the right context. They partnered with us collectively and individually from beginning to end of the evaluation, communicated clearly with us throughout and definitely went the extra mile to ensure that we got real value out of the evaluation. One of the main reasons we selected them was their excellent knowledge of, and insights into, Board dynamics and performance; this proved to be very helpful and informative when reflecting on our own performance. They are not afraid to address the elephants in the room and to challenge everything, which is the only way to make real progress. I would definitely work with them again.”
“Cirencester Friendly takes Corporate Governance very seriously and we undertake a triennial external review of the effectiveness of our Board. For our most recent review process we partnered with Board Excellence to conduct an independent review. The approach they took was thorough and robust and we worked closely with Paul George and Kieran Moynihan to produce an output that was practical and proportionate. The report contained a good range of findings and recommendations that recognised our Board was already effective but can be made even more so. We saw Board Excellence’s commitment to include follow-up work over a 12-month period as a key differentiator in the market. I would be happy to recommend Board Excellence to organisations looking for an independent and objective assessment of their Board.”
“We engaged with Board Excellence to conduct our Board Effectiveness Review and would not hesitate to recommend their services. The review was conducted in an efficient and professional manner and within agreed timescales. The process was effective in challenging current processes and the output was useful with practical recommendations we could apply”
“British Canoeing is an organisation that is serious about good governance and striving to ensure that we operate as effectively as possible. In our search for best practice, we selected and worked with Board Excellence to help us on our journey. They were outstanding in their work for us. Their expertise was exceptional, but it was the manner in which they worked with us that I appreciated enormously. They were frank, well informed, had access to benchmark data and were knowledgeable about and sensitive to the context in which NGBs and member organisations work. We did not want a simple test of compliance or measurement against others. We wanted advice and guidance on how to get better. They presented sound advice, well thought through options and an offer to work with us on an implementation plan. They have served us exceedingly well.”
Board Excellence is a leading provider of external board evaluations and reviews in Ireland, the UK and over 35 countries internationally. We have a strong track record in delivering external board evaluations that add genuine value to the board across the following sectors;
- Listed stock-market company boards and corporate boards
- Private Equity, Venture Capital and Impact Investment Firm portfolio boards
- Small Medium Enterprises, Family Business and Private Company boards
- State, Semi-State and Public Sector boards
- Charity and Non-Profit boards
- Membership Body, Trade Association and Co-Operative boards
Board evaluation is increasingly acknowledged as a vital process for improving board performance and dynamics whatever the size, status or type of organisation. Our philosophy is that a highly effective board of directors makes a significant contribution to the success of the organisation beyond its statutory requirements and is a powerful source of added value for the organisation, its customers, shareholders, directors, employees and many other stakeholders.
The comprehensive nature and objectivity of our evaluation programme will, if thoroughly embraced by the board and executive team, establish a strong foundation to assess the current strengths and weaknesses of the board and drive a measurable plan of sustained improvement.
Our external board evaluation programme consists of the following phases;
- Completion by the board and executive team members of a confidential board effectiveness questionnaire
- Review of the last 12 months of board and committee materials, governance materials, Committee Terms of
- Reference and key materials in the area of culture, ESG, cyber-security, risk management, strategy and shareholder/stakeholder engagement etc.
- Confidential one-to-one interviews with board directors and senior executives
- Optional attendance as an observer at a board and selected committee meetings
- Development of a draft external board evaluation report for initial review by the Board Chair
- Presentation of the draft report key findings and recommendations to the board
As part of our standard external board evaluation/review programme and representative of our strong commitment to support our board clients drive sustained improvement in their board effectiveness and governance, we provide at no additional cost to our board clients, 12 months of follow-on support to the Board Chair, Secretary and CEO on;
- Implementation of the board evaluation recommendations
- New board effectiveness, governance and performance issues arising during that period
Some of Our Clients
What Our Clients Say
“Africa50 engaged Board Excellence – a leading international board consulting practice – to conduct an external independent board and committee evaluation as part of our deep commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance. At Africa50, we believe that regularly conducting and acting on such assessment is meant to improve board and committee’s overall effectiveness and performance. We found the process to evaluate Africa50 Board performance to be comprehensive, tailored to our requirements and added significant value. The quality of the team – Kieran and Chaka – were excellent, highly engaging, with deep expertise in the board governance area. The Corporate Secretary team kept engaged in the planning and during all the process. They managed to keep our directors engaged all along in a helpful and pleasant manner. We are delighted to recommend the engagement of Board Excellence in assessing a board and advising on how best to deliver enhanced board effectiveness.”
Morocco
“We have been carrying out annual Board evaluations for a number of years which we had been handling internally. We made a decision to carry out an external board evaluation using a firm with international experience. We definitely made the right decision selecting Board Excellence. Their process was extremely thorough with all the board members and executives being interviewed. The report delivered by Board Excellence was very detailed and has helped us realise various ways we can take our Board performance to the next level. The report included several insightful recommendations which we are keen to implement. Their commitment to 12 months support postcompletion of their report at no additional cost is quite impressive and was a pleasant surprise as it is not something we had contemplated when we decided to carry out an external board evaluation. Working with Kieran Moynihan was a pleasure. He is very knowledgeable and pleasant and made the evaluation process quite interesting. I definitely recommend Board Excellence for anyone that intends to carry out a board evaluation.”
Nigeria
“I chair the boards of two early stage companies in which I have been an angel investor since the pre-seed stage, and which have grown to attract capital from a range of institutional and strategic investors including development agencies. Having decided that both were at a stage which required regular board effectiveness evaluation, we were introduced to Kieran Moynihan. For me, from the experience of Board Excellence in both companies, it is the best of its kind I have worked with. Kieran Moynihan led the process. He brought long experience as a founder and manager as well as a board member. He embodied key areas of real first-hand experience of the demands and pressures on founders, management and board members, willingness to deliver hard truths without trying to spare Board members finer feelings and constructive suggestions about the conduct of board meetings to correct shortcomings. In all that he did the communication was clear and free of jargon. His conclusions included suggesting simple, practical and measurable steps to deal with the deficiencies identified. In doing this, his style and personality put all the main personalities involved at ease and allowed him to deliver what could have been uncomfortable findings with tact but very directly. All-in-all, working with Kieran was an enjoyable and very educational process. It has also been very valuable and we have quickly been able to effect significant improvements in how the two boards operate. I personally have learned a lot, and look forward to staying in touch with Kieran in future.”
Kenya
“Initially, I was sceptical about engaging with Board Excellence, as this type of strategic work is notoriously challenging to make value accretive. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the results! Kieran brings a level of nuance and expertise that is truly exceptional, and his contributions have been significantly beneficial in enhancing the synergy between SunCulture’s executive team and our board. The partnership facilitated by Kieran has not only met but exceeded my expectations, proving to be crucial in aligning our strategies and strengthening our leadership dynamics. I would not hesitate to engage their services again and recommend them highly to anyone looking to enhance their board.”
Kenya
