The CIoD Nigeria’s Young Directors Forum (YDF) is primarily an assemblage of directors who are young in age and inexperience on the board. This could cut across the SMEs, quoted companies, and unlisted private companies. The forum will capture directors that are young across companies in all sectors. Under YDF, these young directors are brought together for capacity development and mentorship, to give them the right tutelage to grow their leadership experience, exposure, and corporate governance skills, culture, practices, as well as standards.

 

It is anticipated that the Forum be organised for a formal programme, such as a seminar, periodically based on the frequency proposed by the Committee and approved by the Council. Speakers and discussants at the Forum, carefully selected, should be a mix of successful and experienced directors of small and big companies. Also, the speakers’ age should reflect a generational mix of old and young corporate board members as well as successful entrepreneurs. Being a Forum for young directors, the proportion of speakers should be deliberately skewed in favor of successful young directors who have excelled in their professional fields and the boardroom.

 

1. YDF in a Nutshell

Young Directors Forum (YDF) is, therefore, a network of young, talented, and up-coming board leaders who serve as executive or non-executive directors in small and big firms across sectors of the Nigerian economy. These young directors are keen knowledge seekers who are interested in taking advantage of the CIoD Nigeria platform to build capacities in corporate governance skills, and practices, as well as taking advantage of access to free mentorship services while creating strong peer networks that add value while discharging their roles and responsibilities as directors. Ultimately, they are groomed to become IoD Chartered Directors who give back to society by mentoring others and supporting the growth of CIoD Nigeria.

2. Broad Membership Criteria for YDF

In a broad sense, however, ‘YOUNG’ in ‘Young Directors Forum’ is not restricted to age, but extended to include all owner-managers or intending entrepreneurs who seek to be groomed in the knowledge and practice of corporate governance and company direction. Considering this, the membership of YDF will comprise the following:

Category A:  Executive and non-executive directors or owner-managers who are young in age and young in experience on the board or in company direction roles. Boards in this context cut across the SMEs quoted blue chip companies, and unlisted private companies.

Category B:  Directors who are young in boardroom experience, but not young in age. This includes executive and non-executive directors who are relatively new in board roles and who require some form of coaching or mentoring as they learn the ropes.

Category C:  Directors who are old in age, but young in private businesses. This includes entrepreneurs who are venturing into personal businesses after years of active service in either the private or the public sector. They need to be groomed and developed in corporate governance practices.

Category D:  Top management staff in organisations across sectors who see the need to acquire board-level orientation and competencies as part of the preparation to achieve career dreams.

Category E:  Directors in the civil service who see the need to be acquainted with the knowledge of company direction, as well as the need to acquire an understanding of corporate governance practice so they may be able to contribute optimally to possible board roles after retirement.

By implication, therefore, YOUNG in “Young Director Forum” is not necessarily determined by age.

3. Goal of YDF

The goal of the YDF is to build the skills and necessary competencies in young directors through structured Young Directors Development programmes that include both online and offline capacity building and mentoring programmes that will position them for becoming full members of the prestigious Institute of Directors Nigeria, helping them to add immense value to business growth and national economic development by modeling sound corporate governance practice.

4. Objectives of YDF

The key objectives of YDF are to: 

* Discover and nurture young directors who would be supported by the Institute to become outstanding directors of successful businesses 

* Provide YDF members with opportunities for progressive advancement in membership status till they become Full Members of CIoD Nigeria 

* Build the leadership capacity of young directors in business, to position them for effective and efficient board-level functions locally and globally 

* Raise generations of successful young directors who in turn raise others through a well-structured coaching and mentoring system 

* Provide access to technical and non-technical guidance for transforming small businesses into large ones through the understanding and application of standard corporate governance practices  

* Create strong peer networks of vibrant and creative young directors across industries to facilitate interaction amongst members for knowledge sharing, experience sharing, exchange of ideas, and developing initiatives for new business and leadership frontiers