Advisory Board Best Practice and Ethics Committee Global Members Announced

The Advisory Board Centre announces five new appointments to the global Best Practice and Ethics Committee.

The new members will be joined by six existing representatives, providing a well considered balance of tenure and fresh perspectives.

The new committee met this week under the leadership of continuing Chair, Sandra Gamble, and Advisory Board Centre Founder, Louise Broekman, who serves as the representative on the committee for the Global Research Council.

The Best Practice and Ethics Advisory Board’s Charter is to independently evaluate feedback of the ABF101 Advisory Board Best Practice Framework™ and the Ethics guidelines for global members of the Advisory Board Centre.  Over the last 12 months, the Committee has undertaken a review and endorsement of the third edition of the ABF101 Framework and consultation on the Ethics guidelines and research agenda for the Global Research Council.

For the year ahead, the Committee will be exploring the impacts of global advancement of advisory board adoption, evolution of governance systems, stakeholder engagement and ethical impacts of changing regulatory frameworks in areas affecting advisory boards and advisor engagement.

Advisory Board Centre CEO, Udo Doring, welcomes the new appointments.  “The Best Practice and Ethics Advisory Board is a valuable conduit of the practical application of best practices globally.  The insights that the committee members bring, both from their own deep experience and the exposure to a range of cultural, regulatory and operating environments, enhances our ability to be forward thinking and inclusive in our support of our professional members and the organisations they serve.”

Advisory Board Centre Founder, Louise Broekman, highlighted the fit for purpose considerations in the Committee representation.  “As the global stewards of advisory board best practice it is vital that we diligently apply the framework within our own governance system.  The newly appointment Best Practice and Ethics committee members provide context that is representative of the diversity of our professional members and also the application of advisory boards.  We look forward to the robust and respectful debates that will come to ensure that we continue to build solid foundations to the sector as part of our 100 year strategy.”

The Advisory Board Centre welcomes Stephane Benoist, Professor Abdullah Al-Bargi, Cris Parker, Isabella Loh and Romy McLean as the newly appointed members.  They are joined by existing members Sandra Gamble (Chair), Louise Broekman, Dr Michael Drew, Eduardo Esteva, Jane Beaumont and Stuart Allinson.

We thank Dr Elizabeth Armstrong and Nigel Hennessy for their service and robust participation in the Committee.

Meet the Committee

SANDRA GAMBLE, CHAIR

Sandra is an Australian based Chair, Non Executive Director and advisory board member bringing new thinking to boards who are navigating the risks and exploiting the opportunities of climate change, sustainability and ESG.  Sandra’s board experience spans government, regulatory, industry and private enterprise with particular focus on infrastructure, utilities, investment and risk.

LOUISE BROEKMAN

Louise is an award-winning entrepreneur, researcher, business advisor and founder of the professional body for the advisory board sector, with industry and government recognition for her contribution to the business sector.  Louise has the unique advantage of having been on both sides of the table; in the shoes of a founder and that of a chair of multiple Advisory Boards.  Louise, recognised first-hand how a well-run Advisory Board can positively impact CEOs and the business at large. Upon exiting her multinational business, Louise led international research and served as chair for commercial Advisory Boards.  As founder of the Advisory Board Centre, Louise leads the Global Research Council and is an in-demand speaker, regularly called upon as the leading voice for Advisory Boards globally.

DR MICHAEL DREW

Michael is a trusted advisor to family offices, foundations, and fiduciary investors. A financial economist by training, Michael is a Co-founder of Drew, Walk & Co. and a Professor of Finance at Griffith University. He has held previous academic appointments at the ANU and QUT, and senior industry appointments across a range of global organisations. Michael’s research has appeared in leading practitioner journals, including the Financial Analysts Journal and the Journal of Portfolio Management.

Eduardo Esteva

Eduardo is a dynamic business leader, driving successful business outcomes within the insurance sector across Americas and risk management across a variety of industries for over two decades. Eduardo is a consultant with Deloitte in Mexico City, serving as Partner Leader of the Insurance Industry Practice and Leader of the Actuarial Services team. Eduardo is a Strategic Advisor for diverse companies from startups to corporate and multinational companies supporting clients throughout the Americas and Caribbean.

JANE BEAUMONT

Jane serves as Chair for several commercial advisory boards in professional services and recruitment.  As the former CEO of a publicly listed entity, Jane’s brings a wealth of experience in value creation, stakeholder engagement and growth by acquisition across the Asia Pacific region.  Jane splits her time between Australia and New Zealand.

STEPHANE BENOIST

Stephane provides strategic, board level guidance to business owners and executives to achieve their growth objectives.  As a former Director-in-Residence at INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Stephane is a deeply experience Chair, Facilitator and Director supporting organisations in Singapore and Europe.  Stephane is the Co Founder and Head of Faculty for Advisory Board France, delivering the Advisory Board Centre curriculum to French speaking professionals globally.

PROFESSOR ABDULLAH AL-BARGI

Abdullah Al-Bargi is a seasoned academic leader and a TESOL expert with over 25 years of experience in teaching, research, and administration. He is currently the Secretary-General of the International Advisory Board at King AbdulAziz University (KAU) based in Saudi Arabia, where he works with eminent global experts to help KAU achieve its vision of becoming a world-class university. He is also the President of Saudi TESOL, the only official TESOL association in the country, where he leads the efforts to enhance the quality and standards of English language education in Saudi Arabia.

CRIS PARKER

Cris is an expert in leadership and ethical advocacy, passionately driving positive change across various sectors, including finance, corporate governance, and not-for-profits. Her expertise lies in fostering ethical practices, guiding policy development, and leading high-performing teams to achieve impactful outcomes. Cris is Director at The Ethics Alliance, The Banking and Financial Services Oath and an Ethics Counsellor at The Ethics Centre.  Cris also serves on several advisory boards for organisations including Rio Tinto, The Greatest Good and risk transformation firm Rhizome.

ISABELLA LOH

Isabella is a Singapore based Board Director on multiple disciplinary Boards for the past 28 years, locally and globally.  Isabella chairs the Singapore Environment Council , the organisation enables Environment Sustainability actions through Climate Change Actions pragmatic initiatives.  She is chairs the Practising Management Consultant Certification Board and is a director of Singapore Business Advisors & Consultants Council and One Twenty-Six Pte Ltd.

ROMY MCLEAN

Romy serves as an Next Generation Advisor on the Best Practice and Ethics Advisory Board bringing her perspective as an emerging leader and advisor.  Romy is a recent graduate of the University of Queensland with a dual degree Bachelor of Business Management/ Bachelor of Laws (Honours) with a focus international business. Romy currently works with Orica as a commercial graduate and serves on an global advisory board.

STUART ALLINSON

Stuart has served on the Best Practice and Ethics Advisory Board since its inception and is an honorarium member.   Stuart is an advocate for environmental sustainability, driven by his deep experience in the global energy markets.  Stuart serves as a Chair, Advisor and mentor for early stage and high growth companies and investors that are aligned to solving environmental challenges and creating a positive impact.  Stuart serves as the Energy Transition Partner at Startupbootcamp, Advisory Panel Member at Institute on Science for Global Policy and previously served on the board for Climate Change Authority.

About the Advisory Board Centre

The Advisory Board Centre is the leading professional body for the advisory sector. We work collectively with our members to raise the standard of the global advisory sector – driving value for professionals and the organisations they serve.  As the global stewards of best practice, the Advisory Board Centre developed the world’s first executive education and credential for the advisory sector to support the advancement of best practice advisory boards and ethical engagement.  With professional members in over 25 countries, we provide a valuable connection and trusted guidance for leading organisations seeking to enhance their governance systems through the adoption of advisory boards.