Claiming Your Place at the Boardroom Table: The Essential Handbook for Excellence in Governance and Effective Directorship

For big companies or small, Mr. Bakewell tells you everything you need to know about the boardroom.

This book serves as an excellent guide to all aspects of board service. It is comprehensive guide, covering everything from finding a board position to how to be an exemplary board director once in the boardroom.Mr. Bakewell's many years of experience in the boardroom shine through, and I particularly liked how he laid out not only the nuts and bolts of a board's role and functioning and how to be the most effective director possible, but also the practical considerations such as how to make sure you limit your personal liability. His examples and case studies are used to excellent effect to bring his points home. This book is a must-read for those pursuing their first board position, but even as an experienced director I took away new perspectives and information that I found extremely valuable. Highly recommended!! - Suzanne Fradette, CPA, NACD.DC

For those new to Board service, this book is an excellent source of information. First and foremost, it introduces the reader to the myriad of esoteric terms used in the boardroom, effectively reducing the time needed for a new Director to begin to understand the issues facing the organization and to contribute to resolving those issues. From "Governance" to "D&O Insurance" to "Risk Tolerance Statements," the reader leaves with a good understanding of these terms and how and when to use them. The book also provides a description of the various laws related to Boards, and provides some context and history to help explain why these laws were enacted. Finally, the book provides a good mix of theory and practice, citing many real-world examples to help crystalize the concepts. I would highly recommend this book to any new Director.

I have long been interested in board service. And there are many books out there with advice on how to get on your first board, but this book provides a practical and concise guide not only to getting on your first board but how to excel at it! They cover how to be an effective director, the road to exemplary directorship, the importance of finance, an overview of public company reporting, how to achieve excellence in governance and the role of activist shareholders. Whether you are aspiring to be a board member, already on your first board, or are a seasoned veteran, I highly recommend this book!

This easy to read, but comprehensive book helps those who may have recently joined a board or thinking about joining a board. In particular it is useful for those that have been on a small, local company board and find themselves on the board of a larger, more complex company with a myriad of issues.

The book contains a wealth of information. I had the pleasure of meeting the book's author, Tom. It was very clear from that interaction that he has a significant amount of experience in this area, i.e., he is a subject matter expert, which gives credibility to his book.

My work in C-suite and exposure to corporate boardroom as a sales consultant led me to this book on governance. It is everything advertised in the endorsements and more; easy to read, comprehensive, and highly informative about the real world challenges/opportunities of corporate governance today. Frankly, I was surprised how easily I was able to digest Bakewell’s writing considering this is not an area in which I have much experience.I particularly appreciated the first two chapters which set the stage well for the remainder of the book. Chapter One offered great insights on preparing to join a board. And Chapter Two clearly explains HOW to be an effective director - including the basic legal duties of care, loyalty and good faith. Bakewell shared great tips on protecting directors from liability and how to apply the business judgment rule. And honestly, the nine tips on personal liability protection are worth the price of the book alone!The entire book is filled with real examples and helpful, intriguing case studies that bring the topic of governance to life. The stories in Chapter Seven particularly stuck out (recent battles like Dell going private, Herbalife fighting short sellers and Apple saying no to Carl Icahn) as the author tackled the hot topic of activist shareholders.I can see why this book hit Amazon’s #1 Best-Seller in Corporate Governance within two days of its release. I’ll be buying several more copies to give to clients who will benefit from it!Mike Weinberg, CEO of The New Sales Coach and author of the #1 Amazon Best-Seller New Sales. Simplified.

This is a concise yet comprehensive primer on corporate board service by a learned expert in corporate governance. Whether you are an aspiring board director or currently serving as one, this will be a practical resource you can refer to again and again. The book is an easy read, which makes it all the more impressive as an impactful volume with plenty of substance, wisdom, and insights. An enthusiastic five stars for Thomas Bakewell and this tome!