Purpose and benefits

The role of the board is to direct not to manage.
Balance of board membership and choice of individuals are key.
The chair is responsible for the effectiveness of the board.
Non-executive directors have a particular contribution to make to the work of a board.
Board committees are important structurally and for the tasks they undertake.
Executive directors should be appointed solely for the value they can add to the board.
Board members have different roles; what matters is how they combine to form the board team.