Many believe that only public companies or large, established companies with many shareholders need to be concerned about, or can benefit from, implementing corporate governance practices. The reality is that all companies – big and small, private and public, early stage or established – compete in an environment where good governance is a business imperative. One size doesn’t fit all, but right-sized governance practices will positively impact the performance and long-term viability of every company.

With corporate governance under ever-increasing scrutiny, you need to know you and your organization are getting the right advice. Our Corporate Governance and Compliance team has the experience to help clients comply with corporate governance legislation and to guide you in the development of corporate governance procedures that bring value and accountability.

We can advise you on everything like;

• shareholder rights
• annual general meeting
• raising capital
• securing debt
• attracting and maintaining talented, qualified directors
• meeting the demands and expectations of sophisticated shareholders; and
• Preparing for potential acquisition / exit or next phase of growth.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE BASICS

Law. Corporate governance is generally a matter of law based on corporate legislation, securities laws and policies, and decisions of the courts and securities regulators.  Generally, directors owe a duty of loyalty to the companies they serve, and have a fiduciary duty to act honestly, in good faith and in the company’s best interests. Corporate governance is also shaped by other sources, like stock exchanges, the media, shareholders and interest groups. Corporate governance practices help directors meet their duties and the expectations of them.

Relevant Factors. The objective of corporate governance is to promote strong, viable competitive corporations accountable to stakeholders. But one size doesn’t fit every company, and there’s no uniform, comprehensive set of policies or practices: the “right” ones depend on several factors, including:

• the nature of the business;
• the company’s size and stage of development;
• availability of resources;
• shareholder expectations; and
• legal and regulatory requirements.

Benefits.

Some of the key benefits are:

• high performance Boards of Directors;
• accountable management and strong internal controls;
• increased shareholder engagement;
• better managed risk; and
• effectively monitored and measured performance.