Hadi El-Assaad – Get to know our VAB member
What inspired you to become a member of the Virtual Advisory Board community?
I am basically a team believer and a team worker. For me, great ideas require collective efforts to make them effective and sustainable. I would be happy to share and discuss specific examples with fellow VAB members interested in improving team effectiveness.
In what area do you feel board advisors can add the most value for Boards of Directors (BoDs) and executive teams?
I learned in my theorical and practical journey in governance that board members must essentially be armed with great common sense (not necessarily with specific technical skills except when expressly needed). I think the human dimension is very important factor for directors looking to offer sound, meaningful guidance. This involves listening, understanding and empathising.
What would be your dream company/organisation to work with as a board advisor/NED?
My dream company would be either in the private sector: in banking, either with an already established group that is looking to grow in the MENA region or for a group looking to establish a new bank. Over the years , I have been inspired in this field by my work in different banking environments and places, and heading up the challenging period of helping introduce the Euro currency in 2000 at the Banque Française de l'Orient(BFO) in Geneva. If I were to serve on the board in the public sector, I would go for an international organisation like a National Olympic Committee, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), or something similar.
What book or podcast would you recommend to VAB members that might improve their skills in corporate governance, board advisory or boosting board-to-executive team communications?
For improving board members’ skills in corporate governance and enhancing communication between the Board and the Executive Team, I recommend Boards that Lead: When to Take Charge, When to Partner and When to Stay Out of the Way by Ram Charan, Dennis Carey and Michael Useem.
Follow Hadi El-Assaad on LinkedIn.
