Dear Member, The purpose of this note is to inform you of what was discussed, as well as some important decisions taken, at The Chartered Governance Institute’s most recent international Council meeting held via Zoom on 22 and 23 April 2021. For the third time since the beginning of this pandemic the Council has had to hold its meeting online via Zoom. The meeting was originally scheduled to be held face-to-face in London. However, I can say with confidence that the Council meetings are nevertheless very effective as, like many others, we have learned to become proficient in conducting meetings such as these over Zoom.

Dear Members, as 2021 gets underway, I am sure that we all hope it will be a brighter and more predictable year than 2020.  We have all faced significant and un-expected challenges over the last year and your Institute is no different. Notwithstanding the challenges, I am pleased that I can bring you a positive update on recent and upcoming activities for the Institute.

Dear Members, As foreshadowed in my July 2020 report to you, the International Council, the global governing body of The Chartered Governance Institute, held its second 2-day Council meeting of 2020 by Zoom on 30 September and 1 October 2020. Prior to the pandemic outbreak, this regularly scheduled meeting was to be held face to face in Zimbabwe in conjunction with the Division’s annual conference. As the Council meeting has only just concluded I would like to take this opportunity to outline progress with the 2020+ Strategic Plan as well as some important initiatives being undertaken by the Professional Standards Committee (PSC).

Dear Members It is indeed a privilege to have been elected as The Chartered Governance Institute’s International President for the next two years (2020 – 2022).  The Institute has a long and proud history of service to members, students and the governance community and to have the opportunity to be its International President is an honour and something to which I am very much looking forward. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share my thoughts with you about what I see as the opportunities and challenges for the Institute over the next two years taking into account the unprecedented times that we are all having to cope with.

Dear Member I write to inform you of certain important decisions taken at the most recent international Council meeting held via Zoom on 2 and 3 April 2020. The Council was meant to hold its first meeting of 2020 in London on April 2 and 3 but due to the restrictions stemming from Covid-19, regrettably the meeting had to be held by video conference instead. It was necessary to scale-back the agenda so that the meeting could be held over a manageable three hours each day and so that important decisions could still be made. Circumstances permitting, the Council has every intention at this time to hold its autumn meeting of 2020 face to face. Notwithstanding time zones that ranged from Toronto, Canada to Auckland, New Zealand, all members of Council and Chief Executives attended the Council meeting.

Dear Member Happy Chinese New Year! 新年快樂！ The year of the rat promises to be a prosperous and productive one. It is a pleasure to write to you early in the year and to bring you up to date on recent activities of the Institute. I would like to report to you on progress with our name change, eCommunity, initiatives in thought leadership, remind all members of our MOU with the ICSI as well as the transition to new post-nominals.

Dear Member, I am pleased to announce that the Supplemental Charter that gives effect to the new name of the global Institute was sealed on Monday the 16th of September 2019. This means that all of the new provisions of the Charter agreed to by members at the 19 September 2018 Annual General Meeting have come into effect.

Dear Member, I write to inform you of certain important decisions taken at the most recent international Council meeting held in Taipei, Taiwan on 27 and 28 March 2019.

Dear Member, Happy Chinese New Year! 新年快樂！ The year of the pig promises to be a prosperous and productive one.It is a pleasure to write to you early in the year and to bring you up to date on the Institute. I would like to report to you on progress with our brand and name change as well as the Institute’s initiatives in thought leadership.

Dear Member, I write to inform you of several important decisions taken at the most recent International Council meeting held in Toronto, Canada on 20 and 21 September 2018.

Dear Member, When I wrote to you last month, amongst other things, I alerted you to some important Thought Leadership initiatives that were being published.  I am pleased to say that an additional paper on the impact of technology on the company secretary has now been posted to the icsaglobal website.

Dear Member, I am honoured to have been chosen as your new International President for the next two years.  I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share with you the impetus I have set for the Institute for these two years.  I would also like to introduce to you the Institute’s new thought leadership initiatives and bring you up to date on progress with the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

Dear Member, I am writing to inform you of several important decisions that were taken at the international Institute’s most recent Council meeting held in Jersey in the Channel Islands on 22 and 23 March 2018.

Dear Member, I am writing to inform you of several important decisions that were taken at the Institute’s most recent Council meeting held in London on 5 and 6 October 2017.

Dear Member, I am writing to inform you of several important decisions that were taken at the Institute’s most recent Council meeting held in Johannesburg on 17 and 18 March 2017.

Dear Member, I am writing this report following the Institute’s Annual General Meeting and Council meeting held in Sydney on 13/14/15 September 2016. I wish to tell you of several important decisions that were taken at the Council meeting.

Dear Member, This is the first of what will become a regular reporting to you of the proceedings of the Council of the Institute and on matters concerning the Institute as a whole. It is expected that there will regularly be four reports a year, one after each Council meeting (there are two per annum) and before and after the Annual General Meeting. These reports will keep you informed of the important issues before the Council and increase the transparency of its operations.