The first 90 days of a Non-Executive Chair

Most boards change nothing in the first six months because the new NED is still “getting up to speed”. That is wasted fee and wasted calendar. R W Progressive treats the first quarter as the product: the owner should feel the difference in one cycle.

Days 1–30 — listen with documents

Management accounts, bank position, pipeline quality, the organogram as it actually operates, the shareholder position, and how decisions get made when nobody is performing. If an accountant or lawyer already sits close to the client, there is one conversation with that adviser first. The Chair does not duplicate the professional relationship and does not go around it.

Days 30–60 — make performance inspectable

A short KPI set: P&L, cash flow, and two or three operational measures the board can see between meetings. Agreement on what is reserved to the board versus the CEO. The one or two risks that would embarrass everyone in diligence — named, not implied.

This is where organisational structure design earns its keep. If every decision still queues at the founder, the KPIs will describe a bottleneck, not a business.

Days 60–90 — run a proper board meeting

Papers in advance. Challenge on the numbers. Actions that survive the room. If the brief is private-equity preparation, sale or succession, the 90-day output is a board that can stand a buyer’s or investor’s questions. Not a workshop. Not a slide.

Then the year

About 24 days, usually a couple of days each month. Guide, challenge, support. Leave the operating detail with the Chief Executive. Hold the FD to account on the integrity of the numbers. Strategy, Performance, People, Risk — every meeting.