Career Transition Testimonial – Nigel Irvine

The heart of my executive career was spent investing in SMEs and subsequently sitting on the boards of those investee companies and appointing independent directors too. I therefore not only had a very strong understanding of how boards and NEDs operate but also a clear view of the types of role and involvement I wanted going forwards.

Given this and a large professional network at my disposal, I might also have felt I didn’t need much help with making the transition. However, I knew Mike from earlier on in my career when we’d worked to build a captive NED network together and I also knew that he was interested in the soft skills, cultural and motivational issues around NED appointments. I therefore asked Mike to help me prepare for NED life with some targeted career transition advice.

Going through the process encourages thorough self-reflection and I found this really valuable when setting expectations for myself and deciding how I would go about securing my first few roles.

Mike’s very experienced in this field and very supportive but also unfailingly honest, which means that you will have to confront the obstacles to your own success. Happily, his service can also help you develop strategies for overcoming those obstacles. I rate Mike highly and would suggest that anyone considering making the transition to non-exec would benefit from discussing the matter with him.

Nigel Irvine,
Portfolio NED, former banker focused on financing for UK SME’s