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Governance

Bespoke and pragmatic solutions to help you improve governance effectiveness and drive sustainable business outcomes

The rules of business are changing. Organisations face ever-closer scrutiny. Whether your sector is heavily regulated or not, Boards are being held accountable now more than ever. Good governance is a driver for success; it strengthens accountability, transparency and efficiency across all levels of your business.

Our advice and support on governance matters helps clients make better business decisions and support long term sustainable growth. 

We are experienced in designing and implementing effective and proportionate governance frameworks, conducting Board and Executive effectiveness reviews, training senior leaders on individual duties and accountability, and undertaking skills assessments of management teams and Boards. Our aim is to provide practical and actionable recommendations to help you enhance the effectiveness of governance arrangements. 

We have worked with clients including large corporates, global and UK banks, asset managers, as well as new startups, on all aspects of governance. We understand the challenges you face and bring valuable insights and experience to help you navigate them successfully.

Key contacts

How we can help

Advisory

We support clients by designing governance frameworks to suit their needs, strengthening existing frameworks, and advising on how to meet new governance challenges that arise as their business evolves.

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We help clients determine what good governance looks like for them, ensuring a bespoke approach tailored to the nature of their business, industry and maturity.

We advise clients on issues such as effective Board oversight and challenge, group and subsidiary dynamics, crisis management, governance code compliance, and Board culture.

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Assessment

We are experienced in assessing the effectiveness of all key elements of governance.

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We conduct in-depth Board effectiveness reviews, executive governance health checks, reviews of management information and Board packs, and skills and capabilities assessments of the Board and executive team.

 

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Training

We offer a range of training options to help keep clients up to date with governance developments and best practice.

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We regularly provide training to Boards and executive teams on topics such as individual accountability, director’s duties, managing misconduct, and risk and control matters.

We also conduct ‘war-game’ and scenario-based governance workshops for both senior leadership, and the wider employee population to develop understanding and test readiness in areas such as crisis management and business continuity planning.

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We help clients determine what good governance looks like for them, ensuring a bespoke approach tailored to the nature of their business, industry and maturity.

We advise clients on issues such as effective Board oversight and challenge, group and subsidiary dynamics, crisis management, governance code compliance, and Board culture.

We conduct in-depth Board effectiveness reviews, executive governance health checks, reviews of management information and Board packs, and skills and capabilities assessments of the Board and executive team.

 

We regularly provide training to Boards and executive teams on topics such as individual accountability, director’s duties, managing misconduct, and risk and control matters.

We also conduct ‘war-game’ and scenario-based governance workshops for both senior leadership, and the wider employee population to develop understanding and test readiness in areas such as crisis management and business continuity planning.

How we've helped our clients

Executive-level governance review

Executive-level governance review

We were asked by the newly appointed CEO of the EMEA business of a global banking group to look at the effectiveness of its executive governance framework, including the executive and risk committees. We reviewed how well the committees were operating in practice, including decision-making, the quality of debate, and reporting and MI, providing a series of recommendations on how to improve operating effectiveness and efficiency.
Board effectiveness review of a newly listed company

Board effectiveness review of a newly listed company

We reviewed the effectiveness of the Board of a newly listed corporate against regulatory expectations and the client’s strategic ambition, and delivered a report with tailored recommendations on how to evolve governance practices to meet regulatory requirements.
Executive governance design

Executive governance design

We developed Group and subsidiary governance documentation (including terms of reference and decision-making and escalation protocols) together with comprehensive best practice guidance for a global payments fintech, to help senior leadership understand how Group and subsidiary structures operate most effectively in practice.

Our offices

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London

Allen & Overy LLP
One Bishops Square
London
E1 6AD
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New York

Allen & Overy LLP
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York
NY 10020
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Skyscraper city scape with river and bridge

Sydney

Allen & Overy
Level 25, 85 Castlereagh Street
Sydney
NSW 2000
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