Gathering the appropriate combination of skills for a boardroom team has become a “real design challenge”, according to the chair of judges for this year’s Non-Executive Director Awards.

Ruth Cairnie, chair of FTSE 250 member Babcock International, says boards face conflicting needs: on the one hand, a long list of skills among its members, while on the other, the recognition that smaller boards work more effectively.

She said boards require sector knowledge, financial expertise and skills in technology and digitalisation. Large international companies may need geographical knowledge.

“It is an art, not a science, when you pull in the people who have the experience which will blend together.”

Cairnie was speaking during a special webinar discussing the evolution of boards and boardroom skills. Entry for the Non-Executive Director Awards 2025 remains open.

‘Unprecedented uncertainty’

Malcolm Wall, winner of the 2024 award for a non-executive at an AIM-listed company for his work at Eagle Eye plc, said NEDs must now operate in a landscape of unprecedented uncertainty and regulation.

“On top of that, we’ve had fundamental societal change in terms of the expectation of the way we should be doing business.”

Alison Thain OBE, winner of this year’s award for a non-executive at a private equity backed company, for her work at Sage Homes, said good non-executives “do the prep”.

“I don’t mean just read the papers: get out and about; smell the business; get the offline conversations going with members of the executive.”

She added allies were important too.

“Have a few allies: not people who necessarily think the way you do, but people who value your presence, who you’ve got some kind of connection with.”

The special webinar hosted by Board Agenda in conjunction with the ‘Sunday Times NED Awards’ is available below, where last year’s winners discuss how the role of non-executive directors is evolving to address new and complex challenges. You can also read more about the awards and make a nomination on the Non-Executive Director Awards 2025 website.