The end of an era, the dawn of a new.

It is the end of an era, as I draw the curtain on what has been an incredible career with the Institute of Directors (IoD), which I began as a humble member back in 2007.

One common theme throughout my 16 years, along with likeminded members was to help the institute reinvent itself, to make it relevant and to ensure that its all important brand remained global but always local.

Directors are not just in London or other global megacities, we are everywhere.?

We can pool our knowledge and experience across borders and other geographical boundaries through technology. As we find ourselves amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we can be anywhere at any time.

The IoD has given me the privilege to work with some of the greatest humans on earth; from its young directors to its Chartered Directors, to its Director of the Year award winners and nominees, to its esteemed Chairs and Ambassadors, from its governing Council to its Board, to its Executive Management, and, of course, the broader brilliant employees at this not-for-profit Royal Charter bearing organisation.?

Together, we have all made the IoD what it was, what it is and what it will become.

So now is the dawn of a new era, taking with me my deep insight of what good governance is and in contrast, what terrible governance is, using this experience to help guide and improve Boards whilst supporting directors in being the best that they can be.???

Alongside my lifelong commitment to the charity sector, I now have the challenging and exciting role as Group Managing Director for James Wilby.

James Wilby is an historic transport business dating back to 1916, at which point we used rail, roads and canals to transport coal across Yorkshire.

Fast forward to the early 1980’s, when we began to operate our road haulage and coal business from our current Heckmondwike site, a former British Rail goods yard, the volume of traffic on the roads was considerably less - a tenth of what is it today.

In my recent article in the Yorkshire Post, you can read more on the matter of road congestion and how, together, we can and must work to find a solution.

As with most companies facing what feels like a never ending a volatile economic climate, there would no longer be a business without our customers, our drivers, our operations team, our board, our shareholders, and all our other key stakeholders.?

At James Wilby, we ourselves, have come a long way with developing our board, our people, our values and our purpose.

On April 27th, you can join myself and Charlotte Valeur, the former Chair of the IoD Board and corporate governance expert, as we host an hour-long session on the role and responsibilities of the Board.

We often can find ourselves in a position to keep quiet, to keep the status quo, which can support that terrible governance I mentioned, and by doing so, nothing improves.?It takes courage and the ability to know the difference between what is best interest opposed to what is self interest.

We will look to answer the question that many of us wonder; what is the purpose of the Board? As well as covering matters such as the importance of Board balance and diversity of thought.

We have a limited number of places left at this event which starts at 12pm GMT and details can be found here:

A final note on embracing the new.

We can find ourselves reading the end of a chapter, which without us realising, turns out to be the end of a book. It is important to remember that there cannot be a beginning without an end, and there cannot be an end without a beginning.

A dear friend used to say to me; “Natalie, don’t repeatedly be the Commercial Director or Marketing Director, be the Managing Director – you can do it.”

And, here I am.

She was the type of lady who would reach the top of the ladder and give you a hand up to join her.?

Not the type who would reach the top and draw the ladder up to ensure no one could take their place.

Some of us have a calling to leave our world in a better place.

Some of us want to help others find their calling.

And some of us just need a little help to believe in ourselves.

Having had that encouragement, I can first hand believe that there is a need for more people like her in our world empowering us.

And for us, in turn, to empower others.

True to this is one of my favourite proverbs;

“To go fast, go alone. To go far, go together.”?