Sir John Tusa will first provide a discussion on his latest book “On Board: The Insiders Guide to Surviving Life in the Boardroom” where he recounts his last three decades a member or chair of many major cultural and academic boards. This experience has given him a deep insight into the problems and opportunities of good governance at the highest levels.He distills insights and observations from some vivid case studies of events on seven major boards: National Portrait Gallery, English National Opera, American Public Radio, British Museum, Wigmore Hall, University of the Arts London and Clore Leadership Programme.

He distills insights and observations from some vivid case studies of events on seven major boards: National Portrait Gallery, English National Opera, American Public Radio, British Museum, Wigmore Hall, University of the Arts London and Clore Leadership Programme.

Based on almost a hundred “on-the-record” interviews with board member from many skills and professions, this is an account of the human interactions, the successes, the failures, the human tragedies that occur around the board table in pursuit of the elusive goal of “good governance”.

He will then be joined by Dato’ Dr Zaha Rina and Mr. Ferry de Bakker Yeoh for a discussion exchanging their many years’ of experience serving as board directors of prominent arts institutions around the world.

The programme will be moderated by Thiri Thant Mon, CEO of the MIoD.

Learning Outcomes

• There is no difference between a corporate board and a “not-for-profit” board. In fact, cultural boards are often harder to run.
• Unless the chair and chief executive work in close partnership, the organisation will not succeed in being at its best.
• An effective board member brings their best judgement to the table, not only their specific skills.
•  “Governance is governance and management is management”.
• Cultural boards must be “business-like” but are not businesses.

Sir JOHN TUSA (London, UK)
Board Member, British Arts Administrator, Author, Journalist, & Former Presenter of BBC’s Newsnight

Sir John Tusa is a British arts administrator, author, journalist, and former presenter of BBC’s Newsnight. He is the co-chairman of the European Union Youth Orchestra and was formerly the managing director of the BBC World Service and the Barbican Arts Centre. As Managing Director of the BBC External Services, he set up BBC World Service Television. He is also a writer whose books include Pain in the Arts and Making a Noise: Getting it Right, Getting it Wrong in Life, the Arts and Broadcasting.

Mr.  FERDINAND (‘FERRY’) de BAKKER
Council Member, Singapore Institute of Directors

Mr. Ferdinand (‘Ferry’) de Bakker is an adjunct lecturer at Nanyang Technology University’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information in Singapore. He is chairman of Cognac Grosperrin in France; and managing director of La Croisette, a boutique consulting firm in Singapore. He serves on boards and committees of multiple non-profits in Singapore, and is a council member at the Singapore Institute of Directors. He had a two-decades long career at the international public relations firm Burson-Marsteller, first as a country manager, and later as CEO of its European and Asia-Pacific operations. He has served as an independent director on boards in several European countries. He has written for various publications The Netherlands, the UK, France and Singapore on education, corporate communication and lifestyle matters.

Dato’ Dr.  ZAHA RINA BINTI ZAHARI
Chairman/Independent  Non-Executive Director Manulife Holdings Berhad

Dato’ Dr Zaha has more than 25 years experience in the financial, commodities and securities industr, and the development of the Malaysian Capital Market. She is currently the Chairman of Manulife Holdings Bhd and a Member of its Nominating/Remuneration Committee. She is a Board Member of Hong Leong Industries Bhd, Tanah Makmur Berhad and several private limited companies. She is also a member of Market Participants Committee (MPC) of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad, and the director of The Kuala Lumpur Business Club.

An ardent supporter of causes that enable women to enhance their contribution in society, Dato’ Dr Zaha Rina has organised many fund-raising activities for related NGOs. She is the Honorary Treasurer of Badan Warisan Malaysia. She is also a consultant to the Olave Baden Powell Society which raises funds for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. She was a member of Global Board of Advisers for XBRL until 2009 and was also on the Board of Trustee for Malaysia AIDS Foundation until May 2010.

THIRI THANT MON
Chief Executive Officer
Myanmar Institute of Directors (MIoD)

Thiri Thant Mon is the CEO of the Myanmar Institute of Directors and the Managing Partner of Pegu Partners. She has over 20 years of experience in the US, UK and Myanmar, including as an investment banker with Morgan Stanley in London and the member of the senior management team at Yoma Strategic Holdings in Myanmar.  She is a board member of Dawn Microfinance Myanmar and a trustee for Turquoise Mountain Foundation, Yangon Heritage Trust and Doh Eain. She holds a BA in Economics from William & Mary and an MBA from the London Business School.