Upgrading corporate & investment governance in an SFO
GOVERNANCE
Context
The Principals of a substantial single family investment office sought to raise their governance standards to coincide with the appointment of a new set of directors. They aspired to match standards at much larger multi-family offices and wealth managers, without impeding their agile and entrepreneurial culture.
Work
We worked with the Principals and Directors to fine-tune the responsibilities of each governance forum, with a particular focus on the interface between the Investment Committee and the Board.
Clear terms of reference were developed for each committee. Through a series of one-on-one discussions, we facilitated alignment on how each governance forum should operate in practice. The following cycle of board meetings was then engineered to reinforce the consensus around the overall governance system and each Director’s role within it.
In parallel, we created comprehensive reporting and decision-making protocols for each Board committee. We helped design a standardised approach to investment reporting that would ensure consistency across the Investment Committee, the Board, and family stakeholders. We also created business reporting packages that enabled effective oversight – without encouraging micromanagement.
Impact
The result was a governance system with clearly defined roles and processes for oversight and decision-making. This updated, agile-and-active governance framework set a precedent for the future, became a hallmark of the Investment Office’s culture, and is valued by family stakeholders and Directors alike.