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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Apr 2013
Very little can be more damaging to an organisation than a dysfunctional board. As Kylie Hammond notes, it is bad for the bottom line, can tarnish or destroy entire brands and leaves an ugly stain on the reputations of the company’s directors.
Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina opens with the line:...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Apr 2013
1944 - 2013
It is with great sadness that the Australian Institute of Company Directors learnt of the passing of its chairman, James Strong AO FAICD, last month.
Strong, who was also chairman of Kathmandu Holdings and a director of Qantas Airways, died aged 68 in Sydney on 3 March due to lun...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Apr 2013
Not-for-profit (NFP) boards and their fundraising staff were not seeing eye to eye and needed to start communicating better with each other as funding tightened in uncertain economic times. That was the view of Andrew Thomas, Perpetual’s general manager for philanthropy, when addressing the Australi...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Apr 2013
Mark Easton explains why directors need to be mindful of their duty to act fairly between shareholders and consider carefully the effect their decisions could have on minority shareholders.
The Corporations Act 2001 provides far-reaching remedies for oppressed minority shareholders.
Direct...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Apr 2013
A monthly review of the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ policy and advocacy team’s key projects and issues.
Focus on executive remuneration Executive remuneration is back in the spotlight this month as the Government seeks feedback on its 2009 Termination Payments Act, a...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Apr 2013
Professor Bob Baxt reviews some recent court cases that highlight the importance of ensuring your companies have a proper culture of compliance in place.
Directors, senior managers and officers of companies in Australia (referred to as directors here) are, of course, very familiar with spec...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Dionne Lew reveals why digital and social literacy are must-have future skills for directors.
High-profile failures in corporate leadership have led to increased demand for financial literacy at board level. So why aren’t we demanding the same of arguably the biggest game changer of all,...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Corey Payne talks to Zilla Efrat about the challenges of being a younger director, his recent departure from rugby league and his future plans.
In January, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs back rower and NSW Young Australian of the Year for 2013 Corey Payne surprised some when he retired fr...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Michael Tooma outlines the lessons Australian directors can learn from New Zealand’s Pike River Mine disaster that killed 29 miners in November 2010.
At one level, the New Zealand report, Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy, reads like so many reports before it – another ...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
After an apparently slow start, Clifford Fram discovers Australian boards are starting to understand the threats and opportunities presented by rapid technological innovation.
Digital disruption is a problematic area "because you don’t know what you don’t know" and identifying potential d...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Praveen Gupta outlines some of the proposed reforms to corporate law that could change the way companies operate in India.
Back in the 1950s, as a young republic, India chose to tread the socialistic path. Not surprisingly, the nationalisation of the following ensued: airline industry (1...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Bill Scales explains why ongoing learning is important for directors and why he joined Company Directors’ National Education Advisory Committee.
Company Director (CD):
What is your background?
Bill Scales (BS): I started my professional life as an apprenti...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Roger Mendelson provides some pointers to help non-executive directors ask the right questions about their organisations’ billings and collection processes.
Most companies handle their billings and collection processes poorly.
This is a bold statement but I believe it’s well justified...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Fiona Baron investigates how companies are bedding down the carbon tax and coping with its compliance requirements.
The introduction of the Federal Government’s carbon tax in July 2012 was bound to be something of an anti-climax.
For directors in particular, once the politics surround...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
The Prime Minister has announced that Australia’s federal election will be held on 14 September. We ask a range of directors whether knowledge of the election date so far in advance will boost or reduce business uncertainty and what key questions directors need to ask in the run up to the election.
...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Dr Ken Henry talks to Tony Featherstone about Australia’s role in the Asian century, how our tax system should be reformed and life outside of the public service.
From high above Melbourne, Dr Ken Henry AC provides a glimpse of how great Australian business can become and a scale of natio...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
A new online tool will help you self-assess your directorship attributes and expertise.
Have you stopped to consider the vast array of skills, expertise and knowledge you draw on in carrying out your directorships? The range is expansive and extends from expert knowledge to practical know...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Far too few organisations are taking enough steps to protect one of their most valuable assets, intellectual property. Domini Stuart explains how the board can help them plug the leakage.
Ways to protect your IP:
Have regular audits to identify your IP assets
Develop poli...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Peter Kell discusses ASIC’s approach to complaints of misconduct and disputes between officeholders or members of small companies.
Setting up a business with other people is not too different from getting married. Mostly it works and sometimes it’s blissful. But often there are arguments...
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Content Type:
CDM Article
01 Mar 2013
Brinos Lambrinos reviews the current superannation landscape, and possible near-term changes, to help directors keep up with the Government’s tinkering with how they save for retirement.
Superannuation, while an important issue for taxpayers, is also highly complex, none more so than for...