Helping aspiring board members with a pathway to the board room is an HCI Group core value.
In 2018, HCI launched an innovative and progressive apprentice style Board Observer program designed for aspiring board directors. One stated objective is to choose people who aren’t already on corporate boards and outside the inner circle that often must be penetrated to get onto the radar of traditional headhunters. This increase the boardroom talent pool and creates opportunities that otherwise might not exist.
HCI picks two new board observers each year for a one-year term. They participate in meetings, interact with their questions and opinions, and get an idea of what a board seat entails from the inside of the boardroom.
Board observers gain from direct experience in the board room and learn firsthand about the expectations, duties and responsibilities of board directorship. HCI immediately benefits from the diverse perspectives and from the board observer alumni pool filled with talented, capable, and board ready individuals.
Experience can be a barrier to entry on a public company Board. Consequently, many talented people can be overlooked; an acute challenge particularly encountered by women and minorities. HCI sees the board observer program as a way for HCI to “pay it forward” by broadening the field of potential board candidates for other companies, as well as HCI.
The HCI Board Observer program is accepting applications for its 2020-2021 term. For more information contact HCI at contactus@hcigroup.com.