Blog - Chair & NED - BLOG | Becoming a Chair: PE or Plc Route?

BLOG | Becoming a Chair: PE or Plc Route?

We recently inducted a new cohort of participants for our Chair Ready Programme: a year-long initiative designed to support and accelerate aspiring and first-time Chairs.

Our first session was about how to succeed as a first-time PE Chair, including speakers, Gregor Alexander, Chair, Aurora Utilities and our Board Mentor Mark Whitby, Chair of BibliU sharing their experiences and around this topic.

They raised an important question each of our participants need to answer: are you right for the PE Chair role?

Indeed, when becoming a Chair, the question is not simply whether you are ready for the role, but which environment may be the better fit. Both the PE and Plc routes can be rewarding, but they seem to call for different strengths, temperaments and ambitions.

The PE route can be a strong first step for aspiring Chairs who enjoy pace and close involvement in the business. The role is more hands-on, has a stronger exposure to growth and value creation and often has attractive economics through fees and equity.

However, there is higher pressure, it is faster paced, there’s more investor intensity and a greater risk of slipping too far into executive territory.

The Plc route may appeal more to those who want a broader governance role and are comfortable leading in a more visible stakeholder environment. There is a greater focus on Board leadership, governance, culture and stakeholder management; often closer to the classic Chair role.

But with that comes further public scrutiny, more regulation, a heavier governance burden and a much more complex stakeholder landscape.

The right route often depends on where you will be most effective and, to some extent, where you have built your career and network. For some, PE may feel like the more natural first step; for others, the Plc path may be a better fit. The important thing is understanding the context in which you are most likely to add value as a Chair.

We support aspiring and new to role Chairs across public markets, family-owned, private equity and the third sector. In a survey with graduates of our Programme, 100% agreed it supported their development in preparing for a role and 92% said they would recommend to a peer.

Find out more about the Chair Ready Programme here.

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BLOG | Becoming a Chair: PE or Plc Route?

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