Boards are under increasing pressure to navigate an ever-changing, complex risk landscape – from AI and climate change to social accountability and digital disruption. This is forcing UK organisations to reassess who they need on their board; they are becoming more strategic about the expertise they need. As a result, we are seeing boards experimenting with new roles, bringing in fresh talent through non-traditional routes, and prioritising different perspectives and subject-matter experience.
In this blog we look at some of the types of roles that we have seen and highlight examples of companies that have used them. It’s worth noting that these roles are being utilised in different organisations in different ways, the below observations are based on the roles we’ve seen advertised on Dynamic Boards.
Associate Non-Executive Directors (NEDs)
These are development roles that help individuals to gain experience of the board and how it operates. Associate NEDs contribute their experience and ideas to the boardroom discussion but have no formal voting powers. They have been widely adopted by NHS Trusts and Integrated Care Boards. They use the Associate role to bring on board individuals who may have no prior experience and aren’t yet ready for the full NED role or responsibilities.
The Associate Non-Executive Director role is generally paid but the compensation may be lower than that of other board members to reflect the fact that they are not legally liable Directors. For many the Associate role will evolve to becoming a full board member within 1-3 years, and in some cases this plan is confirmed prior to the Associate joining the board.
Examples:
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
- Ofcom
- Clarion Housing Group
These roles enable aspiring NEDs to attend board meetings to learn how boards operate and gain valuable experience and insight, without any formal responsibilities. These are becoming more common especially in the UK public sector and some large charities or public bodies. These types of roles are rare in private companies. There is generally no commitment from the host board to take on the individual as a NED at the end of their apprentice term, but the experience may stand them in a stronger position when applying for roles. Examples:Board Apprenticeships
- Board Apprentice – a practical learning programme for aspiring board members where apprentices join a Host Board for 12 months, gaining first-hand experience of how a board functions. Some of the companies that have served as host boards include: Intellectual Property Office UK, UK Government Investments, Aviva and The Mercantile Investment Trust PLC, to name a few.
- Boardroom Apprentice – provides a 12 month structured programme offering practical experience of serving on public or charitable boards. It is open to anyone over the age of 18 with no prior board experience. Over 160 host boards in the public and third sector have participated since 2017. These include Armagh Observatory & Planetarium, Northern Ireland Audit Office, Legal Services Board, NHS Education for Scotland and Theatre’s Trust to name a few.
Shadow Boards (aka advisory boards, mirror boards, youth boards)
These boards mirror an organisation’s main board or executive committee and are made up of younger or employees in less-senior roles. They provide fresh perspectives, helping the senior leadership team stay connected to internal culture, customer trends, and digital behaviours. Whilst they can influence board-level thinking, they do not have the power to make decisions.
Examples:
- Gucci – created a shadow board composed of Millennial employees who meet regularly with the Executive of Gucci.
- Legal & General – their Future Talent Advisory Board includes younger employees who advise the main board.
- KPMG UK – created a shadow board in 2020 made up of younger employees and high-potential talent.
Board Observers
Whilst they do not participate in official decision-making, Board Observers observe discussions and provide advice at board meetings. It’s a great opportunity for investors, advisors or potential future board members to stay connected and offer their contributions informally.
Examples:
- BP
- ARM Holdings
- Rolls-Royce
- Deliveroo
- Virgin Group
Citizen Panels/ Rotating community seats
These roles offer a way for local residents to actively participate in board decisions by taking turns to represent their community’s views. They are a great way for organisations to gather public views on services, budgets, and local policies, co-design health services (in the case of the NHS) and can be used to improve trust or test policies. They can provide candidates with a route to a formal board role.
Examples:
Public Sector
- Leeds City Council – Leeds Citizens’ Panel
- Greater Manchester Combined Authority – GM Big Data Citizens’ Panel
- Scottish Government – Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland
- Newham Council – Newham Citizens’ Assembly
- Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) – Citizen Reference Groups
- London Policing Ethics Panel – Involves citizen input
Health Sector (UK NHS)
- Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire Integrated Care System – Citizens’ Panel
- South East London Integrated Care System – People’s Panel
While these roles are not typically used by the private sector or regulated companies, there are some exceptions to the rule:
- Facebook (Meta): Created a “Facebook Oversight Board” — not a citizen panel in the classic sense, but functions similarly in deliberative input.
- BT Group (UK): Has explored customer engagement panels.
- British Gas: Customer panels on service feedback.
Employee-elected Directors
These are board members that are elected by the organisation to represent their interests at board level. Although they exist in the UK, they remain relatively rare, and are more commonplace in countries like Germany or Scandinavia.
Examples:
- John Lewis Partnership – elected NEDs have full voting rights and are chosen by the Partnership council (elected by employees)
- FirstGroup plc – In 2021, they announced an employee director to the board as a NED to ensure employee voices are heard in strategic decision-making
- Capita plc – In 2019, they appointed two employee Non-Executive Directors to the board
- Scottish Water – have a history of employee involvement in governance
- Post Office Ltd – they have included employee directors in the governance structure at various times
If you have worked in one of these roles, we’d love to hear about your experience – especially the key advantages and challenges you have encountered. You can choose to share your insights anonymously or be quoted in a blog in this series. Drop us an email at hello@dynamicboards.co.uk — Join our free NED Community Advertise your role with us
View our roles
Whether you are a new NED looking for your first role, or a seasoned Non-Exec ready for your next boardroom challenge, you are welcome to sign up and view our roles for free here. We list c.100 Non-Executive Director board roles each month from all over the UK. We also provide blogs and YouTube videos to encourage and inspire NEDs.
If you are a Non-Executive Director on a UK board, join our free NED Community! We host monthly online meet-ups where we invite guest speakers to contribute on a range of topics as well as allowing time for peer-to-peer support between Non-Execs. If you want to become a more thoughtful and effective board member, register here.
Are you/ your board recruiting a Non-Executive Director or Chair? We can help you advertise your role to candidates who will bring the skills, experience and perspectives you need on your board. We have helped companies and search firms advertise over 1000 Non-Exec board roles a year from across the UK. You can see information on our advertising options here and you can get in touch with the Dynamic Boards team at hello@dynamicboards.co.uk.
