Strengthening Board Leadership

Dear Members,

October was a month of renewal and reflection. From new faces on our Governing Council to fresh collaborations and programmes, SID is forging ahead in strengthening board leadership with the support of our members, partners and the wider governance community.

New governing council

Following our Annual General Meeting, we are pleased to announce the SID Governing Council for 2025–2026. We extend a warm welcome to new council members Kay Pang and June Sim, and extend our heartfelt appreciation to Bill Foo, Pauline Goh and Ryan Lim for their invaluable contributions and dedicated service.

Cross-sector collaborations

SID collaborated with the Council for Board Diversity, Charity Council, EY and NVPC to launch the refreshed Board Appointment Guide for Charities 2025 – a practical playbook to help charities build diverse, future-ready boards and foster leadership renewal. 

We also hosted the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard briefing and launched the Singapore Directorship Report 2025, spotlighting regional trends in corporate governance, as well as highlighting board diversity, directorship tenure, board renewals and remuneration disclosures across listed entities.

A new collaboration with ImpactSG to create opportunities for members to contribute to Singapore’s charity and philanthropy ecosystem will be announced at GiveFest Asia 2025 on 20 November. Members are invited to attend this event.

Board development programmes 

Our Listed Entity Director (LED) Programme for first-time directors on listed boards wrapped up with 669 participants completing all nine comprehensive modules, earning an overall rating of 4.53/5 for relevance and impact. 

We are now opening registration for the LED Bridging Programme, a 15-hour SGX RegCo-endorsed course for directors ready to serve on listed boards and who have completed one of the four approved directorship programmes. 

Admissions are now open for the next intake of the SID-SMU Directorship Programme, one of two local directorship training programmes leading to the SID accredited director status with exam exemption.

For aspiring board chairs, the Chairperson Accelerator Programme returns in February 2026, offering psychometrics, board simulations, peer learning and networking with experienced chairs.

And if you’re planning your board journey, our Build Your Path to Board Directorship workshop (using the 4R methodology – Reflect, Reveal, Reimagine, Reach) will help you uncover their purpose and position yourself for the right opportunities.

Supporting nonprofit excellence

SID continues to empower nonprofit boards through its SGOOD corporate packages:

• SGOOD Corporate Package – 10 subscriptions at a special rate for SID NonProfit Members (valid until 15 December 2025).
  
• Year-End Flash Bundle – membership and SGOOD programme access for non-members (limited to the first 20 sign-ups).
  

Events and engagement

This year’s Corporate Governance Roundup featured five presentations and a panel discussion that tackled the governance issues dominating headlines and boardroom conversations. The NRC Masterclass offered a candid dialogue on evolving boardroom practices, and SID’s ARC and Digital Chapter hosted a session on governing AI risks at the board level. 

Coming up, our Family Business Group Network will be hosting a session on Are Family Business Boards (Better) Prepared to Deal with Geopolitics? Our next Total Defence Table-Top Exercise on Cyber Security and Business Continuity for Boards is complimentary for members. And the annual Audit and Risk Committee Seminar 2026 will take place on 20 January, focusing on strengthening governance in an age of complexity. 

And if you missed our SID Meet & Mingle on 30 October, don’t miss our year-end networking event on 27 November.

Join our community 

SID membership promotions are now on: sign up now and enjoy complimentary membership until end of December. Share with your network or join this growing community to gain access to valuable resources, professional development opportunities and a dynamic community of governance professionals.

Let’s continue to advance governance for good and strengthen board leadership. Stay connected!

HIGHLIGHTS

Audit and Risk Committee Seminar 2026
Strengthening Governance in an Age of Complexity
20 January 2026 | 9.15am – 12.00pm | PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay

In today’s turbulent world and intelligent age, trust is the cornerstone for sustainable business. This seminar examines how boards, especially audit and risk committees, can steer companies in strengthening integrity, accountability and transparency to build trust with stakeholders. Boards can navigate complexity and respond to dynamic changes by leveraging digital tools, technology and artificial intelligence. Key themes include redefining “Trust 2.0”, embedding a culture of trust across the organisation, and reinforcing confidence in corporate governance and financial reporting. 

Are Family Business Boards (Better) Prepared to Deal with Geopolitics?
25 November 2025 | 9.00am – 11.00am | Marina One West Tower

In an increasingly fragmented and uncertain world, family businesses – known for their long-term orientation, resilience and agility – may be better positioned to navigate geopolitical disruptions. While many corporate boards are unprepared for future complexities, family business boards that embrace foresight, strengthen governance and anchor decisions in shared purpose can turn volatility into strategic advantage. Join us, as we explore how boards can serve as “shepherds” to navigate uncharted waters. In particular, how can family businesses prepare themselves to deal with the unfolding geopolitical situation?

Listed Entity Director Bridging Programme 
15 January 2026 | In-person session

The SID Listed Entity Director (LED) Bridging Programme is a 15-hour hybrid course endorsed by Singapore Exchange to enable first-time directors to meet mandatory training requirements for listed companies – as an alternative to taking the full LED programme. The hybrid course is delivered through a combination of self-directed e-Learning (28 October 2025 to 26 January 2026), compulsory assessment (1 to 28 February 2026) and an in-person facilitated discussion on 15 January. This abridged LED course is designed to offer graduates of four approved directorship programmes (BRP, SGOOD, SDP, IDP) an alternative to taking the full LED programme.

Build Your Path to Board Directorship
23 January 2026 | 9.00am – 5.30pm | PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay

Becoming a board director is a journey of personal fulfilment, growth and meaning. Stepping into a board director role requires more than experience or knowledge – it requires a clear strategy, a compelling value proposition and a deep understanding of how to position yourself. Realising board opportunities is not just about what you know, but how well you can articulate the value you bring. This workshop uses the 4R methodology (Reflect-Reveal-Reimagine-Reach) to provide an immersive experience for you to uncover your purpose and value for directorship.

Singapore Directorship Report 2025

The Singapore Directorship Report 2025 tracks governance developments across SGX-listed firms, reflecting a steady but regulation-led evolution of board practices. The nine-year rule has meaningfully accelerated board refreshment: long-serving independent directors have fallen sharply and nearly half of independent directors have served three years or less on the board. First-time directors are rising, with almost a quarter of new appointees being women. This report is produced by SID in partnership with Deloitte, Handshakes and Singapore Institute of Technology, with the support of ACRA and SGX.

SID Boardroom Matters
Making Sense of Shifting ESG Regulations

As global momentum around ESG slows – with Singapore, the EU, Canada, and the US all revisiting climate reporting timelines – boards may be tempted to ease off. Yet the direction remains clear, says Andrew Martin. Over 30 countries are adopting standards set by the International Sustainability Standards Board, setting a new global benchmark. Singapore’s delay gives smaller firms more time, but expectations from investors and stakeholders persist. Boards must stay the course: strengthen oversight, align sustainability with strategy, and build resilience through credible transition planning.

Corporate Governance Roundup
16 October 2025

The Corporate Governance Roundup underscored how directorship is evolving in a fast-shifting operating landscape. Directors today face heightened scrutiny, personal liability risks and increasingly complex fiduciary duties. The message was clear: transformational directorship demands new skills, deeper diligence and active engagement. Directors have to be curious, stay vigilant and lead with purpose.

Transformation, an Inaugural Solo Art Exhibition
24 October 2025

SID presented an Art Network event featuring artist Grace Chew’s inaugural solo exhibition. Headlined “Transformation”, the display showcased 50 art pieces, including oil paintings and Chinese ink and calligraphy. The evening included a short panel discussion, The Art of Enterprise: Leveraging Creativity for Strategic Innovation, which explored creativity in business leadership. Members enjoyed an inspiring session of art, dialogue and networking – celebrating the intersection of artistic expression and creative insight.

PARTNERS’ HIGHLIGHTS

 Copyright (C) 2025 Singapore Institute of Directors. All rights reserved.

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