Sirdar

31/07/2026

We're proud to have Tim Holmes speaking at the Federated Management Institute’s Mastering Board Governance Masterclass with the theme of 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳: 𝘙𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘌𝘳𝘢 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢.

Taking place from 5–7 August 2026, Tim will be presenting the opening keynote, and participating in two panel discussions, drawing on his experience working with boards and chairs across a range of governance challenges.

If you're attending, take the opportunity to connect with Tim and discuss how to overcome the governance challenges facing your board.

Find out more details about the event: https://federatedinstitute.co.za/events-training/mastering-board-governance-masterclass-2026/

Program Overview Many African countries have adopted governance codes modeled on global standards such as the OECD Principles, the World Bank governance frameworks and the IFC corporate governance guidelines. Countries like South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya have also comprehensive governance codes li...

30/07/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗗 𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

In his latest article, Tim Holmes examines why psychological safety is a governance responsibility and how effective chairs create the conditions for better board decisions.

Read the full article now: https://sirdarbasecamp.com/how-chairs-build-psychological-safety-and-strengthen-authority/

Discover how board chairs build psychological safety that encourages honest conversations, strengthens accountability, and improves governance and board decision-making.

29/07/2026

Congratulations to Trudy Lamptey and Helen Amponsah Asare on being named 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 in their respective categories at the recent Company Secretaries' Summit in Ghana, hosted by Mindful Governance.

As part of this recognition, we are proud to sponsor their participation in our next Applied Directorship Programme.

We look forward to welcoming Trudy and Helen to the programme and supporting them as they continue to build their board leadership capability alongside a cohort of other experienced directors and executives.

Congratulations once again on this well-deserved achievement. We can't wait to see you in the sessions.

To anyone else wanting to know more about ADP, join our one-hour programme intro on 5 August 2026: https://sirdargroup.com/applied-directorship-programme/

29/07/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁: 𝗔 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁

There are only 30 places available for the 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀' 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁, and registration closes on 31 August.

Taking place in Cape Town, South Africa from 12 till 15 October 2026, the retreat will bring together West African board directors for four days of practical, boardroom-focused learning – including a dedicated regional masterclass and a session on women's leadership at board level.

If you've been considering joining this cohort, now's the time to register: https://sirdargroup.com/west-africa-board-directors-retreat/

27/07/2026

A lot of what makes someone board-ready – reading a room, knowing when to challenge, understanding what's really being asked in a strategy paper – gets picked up through experience, or not at all.

Nompumelelo Norma Ndhlovu's latest article takes a look at the role mentorship plays in building that experience before the vacancy notice goes out: https://sirdarbasecamp.com/mentorship-as-a-board-pipeline-strategy/

24/07/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗦𝗶𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀' 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁

Behind our October retreat is a group of presenters who bring direct experience of West Africa's boardrooms.

𝗧𝗶𝗺 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗺𝗲𝘀 brings decades of board advisory experience across Africa. Having served as an independent, non-executive and executive director, as well as chairperson of numerous boards, he will share practical insights into governance fundamentals, board best practice and director responsibilities.

Informed by his boardroom and corporate experience, 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗮 will lead discussions on AI and its impact on corporate boards, exploring how directors can strengthen governance and strategic oversight as artificial intelligence reshapes organisations across Africa.

𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮 𝗡𝗱𝗵𝗹𝗼𝘃𝘂 will lead the session on women's leadership in West African boardrooms, drawing on her experience in board appointments, board composition and executive search to share more on women’s experience, influence and leadership on African boards.

𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘆𝗼 𝗔𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮 will explore the realities and opportunities facing West African board directors, given his experience as a non-executive director, board committee chairperson, and CEO and Partner of Sirdar Nigeria and West Africa to provide practical perspectives on governance and the region's boardroom dynamics.

Together, they've built a retreat that is a must-attend for directors seeking practical, region-specific insights to strengthen their boardroom effectiveness.

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: 12–15 October 2026 (arrival on 11 October)
𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: Protea Hotel Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge, South Africa
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: https://sirdargroup.com/west-africa-board-directors-retreat/

23/07/2026

What does ethical leadership look like in practice?

In his latest article, our CEO Warwick van Breda explores the daily discipline of leading with consistency, accountability and intention.

It's a thought-provoking read for anyone committed to shaping stronger teams, organisations and boardrooms.

Read it now: https://sirdarbasecamp.com/the-daily-practice-of-ethical-leadership/

Explore why ethical leadership depends on everyday actions, not intentions, and how leaders shape culture through consistency, fairness and courage.

22/07/2026

𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁.

We've been fortunate to work with some brilliant people through our Applied Directorship Programme, including MAGMA Finance's director Varun Narain, Genesis Group's Group General Manager Franco Vacher, RISKFLOW LTD (IRE)'s Group CEO Phoebe Chapman, and Be Brave and The Lekker Network founder Pierre du Plessis.

If you'd like to hear more about what shaped their feedback, join our next free introductory webinar. Over one hour, we'll walk you through what the 11-month ADP journey involves, from governance fundamentals and strategy through to risk and financial oversight, all brought to life through simulated board meetings rather than theory alone.

Whether you're an aspiring director, an up-and-coming leader, or an experienced board member wanting to stay ahead of a changing governance landscape, this session will give you a clear picture of how ADP could support your next step.

Date: 5 August 2026
Time: 12h00 (SAST)
Register here: 6ec6f72c-23d0-43e0-a948-e2001ce55fe9@949ce923-b487-4694-9789-4bc91d5a551a" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/6ec6f72c-23d0-43e0-a948-e2001ce55fe9@949ce923-b487-4694-9789-4bc91d5a551a

20/07/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 – 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁?

Tim Holmes and Warwick van Breda are hosting a free one-hour introductory session on the Applied Directorship Programme (ADP), our 11-month journey designed to build high-performing directors.

Whether you're stepping towards your first board role, preparing to take over a family business, or you've been a director for years and want to sharpen your edge, this session will give you a clear look at what the programme covers – governance fundamentals, directors' duties, and board meeting simulations – before you commit to anything.

Join them at noon (SAST) on 5 August 2026 if you want to understand what separates a good director from a genuinely high-performing one, and why participating in ADP makes sense no matter where you are on your boardroom journey.

Register here: 6ec6f72c-23d0-43e0-a948-e2001ce55fe9@949ce923-b487-4694-9789-4bc91d5a551a" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/6ec6f72c-23d0-43e0-a948-e2001ce55fe9@949ce923-b487-4694-9789-4bc91d5a551a

17/07/2026

We are proud to have been part of yesterday's Mindful Governance Company Secretaries' Summit and Awards held in Ghana.

Nana Baiden, Lovetta Agyeman and David Botchway joined Catherine Engmann and 150+ leaders and representatives from more than 30 boards to celebrate excellence in governance and share ideas on what it takes to lead well.

Congratulations to the recipients of the awards. We look forward to welcoming you to our Applied Directorship Programme!