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Thought Leadership

Whitehead Mann hosted a series of HR Forums across Asia and the Middle East with local and international HR Directors. The theme was 'Human Resources: Leading Leaders in a Downturn', a topic that explored the HR leadership capabilities needed to excel in todays challenging market, and how the HR community is having to step-up to coach company leaders, helping them navigate the evolving corporate landscape. Lynne Nixon and Craige Vollmer offered examples of how HR has responded to the changing economic situation and this prompted a good degree of discussion. We finished by handing out a mini brochure describing the key capabilities discussed, and a self-assessment questionnaire that could be used to ascertain their own strengths, as well as those in HR leadership roles in their team. The common view across all three forums, not surprisingly, was that a proactive, engaging style with progressive commercial application was essential for successful leadership in today's world.
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In our first podcast, Nick Hedley, Head of the Legal, Governance and Risk practice at Whitehead Mann, talks to Nigel Boardman of Slaughter and May who shares his thoughts on what makes a great General Counsel. This podcast follows an in-depth discussion at a lunch we held at the end of last year, attended by some of the leading General Counsels in the UK.

The "caged hamster" or the "confidante".....
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Today, it is more important than ever for organisations to have the right people in the right roles. Getting this wrong now can threaten business survival. Whitehead Mann's recently formed Turnaround and Restructuring Practice draws on global expertise to support clients navigating these unprecedented conditions.

So where do we find these leaders?
Many industries in the West have changed their business models dramatically over the last 10 years in terms of manufacturing configuration, transformations from product to service models and driving greater efficiency through the supply chain and operational backbone.
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IT enters the current downturn in a very different state from the last recession in 2001/2002. Prior to then IT had seen double digit growth year-on-year for a prolonged period and there was little doubt that there was plenty of 'low-hanging fruit' when the necessary cost purge hit home. Seven years of largely flat IT growth has meant that Corporate IT enters 2009 in an altogether leaner state. It should not be forgotten that this period of flat budgets has coincided with massive corporate revenue growth and an explosion in consumer technology that means IT is ever more embedded in the fabric of major companies. Nevertheless, IT is, like any corporate cost, under extreme scrutiny currently as CIOs look for immediate ways to respond to the unprecedented challenges.
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The Legal, Governance and Risk practice at Whitehead Mann surveyed 50 senior risk management professionals at FTSE 100 companies, including internal auditors, compliance officers, general counsel and health and safety officers. There are three significant findings: Only one in two risk managers describe their internal risk management functions as "influential" The value that a Chief Risk Officer can add is an important debate for all companies to have Risk Managers need to develop the skills which will enable them to become change managers.
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This report analyses the qualities and traits that separate the truly great CEOs from the rest. It is based on interviews with more than 80 of the UK’s most prominent business leaders, including multinational Chairmen and Chief Executives of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies.

The report finds that the best CEOs have great vision about where the company should be heading, combined with unimpeachable personal integrity. Perhaps one of the most surprising findings of the research is that great CEOs spend much more time with their internal stakeholders than speaking to those in the City or the media.

In the current downturn, the report also finds that truly great company leaders need to have mastered a range of softer skills too – ones not often associated with hyper-successful business men and women. Participants cited creativity, personal charm, a concern for others, and an ability to mentor the next generation of managers, as vital management skills for the 21st century.
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Why are NEDs in NHS Trusts spending more time on their role than the core 2-3 days each month they signed up for? Authorisation as a Foundation Trust sets the bar for aspiring NHS Trusts and represents a step change in governance capability; NEDs find they get seduced into spending more and more time with the Trust. Through our research and experience we have identified how they can avoid the traps and work "smarter not harder".
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Whitehead Mann’s recent survey of 50 FTSE 100 Company Secretaries shows NEDs are motivated by reputation not money or share packages.
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The changes in corporate governance over the last decade have redefined the role that a successful NED should play, as well as increasing the risks, responsibilities and time commitments of the job. This report asks the question “What is it that defines an exceptional NED?” which has been answered by Chief Executives, Chairs, NEDs and a group of significant investors – whose views represent their experiences across 552 Boards. This definitive report about the necessary qualities required for this critical appointment is one of a series entitled ‘The Whitehead Mann Leadership Debate.’
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Is 'climate change' the direct result of man's actions or due to the 'natural variability' in the earth's weather cycles? No one really knows for sure but how business leaders respond to the challenge is of paramount importance to shaping this debate. Whatever your view - the way we deal with extreme weather changes and declining energy resources is arguably one of the crucial issues facing the business world in particular. Prompted by the UK government-sponsored Stern Report, Whitehead Mann undertook this study to discover what business leaders are really thinking about climate change issues and what they believe the implications are for their business strategies and their leadership responsibilities. Our latest report shows that the split of business opinion is greater than we might have imagined.
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Being the Chairperson of an organisation can be both satisfying and challenging, but it is a role for which there is little formal preparation or training. We asked 215 directors of FTSE 100, FTSE 250, large private companies, private equity companies and public sector bodies about what they believe makes a great Chairperson. The results are revealed in this report, one of a series entitled ‘The Whitehead Mann Leadership Debate.’
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