Board Services
Board Search
You are looking for a board member. Do you know which board member your board needs?
Your organization’s challenges, the composition of the board and your strategic ambitions determine what type of board member makes the difference today.
So the question is not only who is available, but especially which expertise, experience and personality will strengthen your board. What competencies are currently missing? What perspective adds value? And who helps the organization successfully through its next growth phase?
The best board member is not necessarily the most experienced one, but the one who strengthens your board where it is needed most.
How do we find the right board member?
At Schelstraete Delacourt, we approach board search from five complementary perspectives.
Expertise
Every board faces different challenges. That is why we start from the composition of the board, the strategic priorities of the organization, and the expertise that is — or is not — already present. Based on this, we determine which profile offers the greatest added value.
Competencies
A board member brings more than knowledge alone. We assess not only expertise and experience, but also board-level competencies, independent thinking and the personality needed to genuinely contribute to how the board functions.
Cultural fit
Strong boards are built on complementarity. That is why we look not only at the qualities of individual candidates, but also at how they fit with your organization’s existing dynamics, values and culture.
Discreet approach
We identify and approach potential board members in an extremely discreet and targeted manner. In doing so, we look beyond the classic networks and the usual candidates who already hold multiple board mandates.
New talent for your board
The best board member does not necessarily already hold five mandates. That is why we also look at CEOs, executives and entrepreneurs who are currently still under the radar of the board market, but who have the experience, maturity and personality to make a valuable contribution to your board of directors.
Het juiste bestuurslid = expertise x competenties x culturele fit
Why choose Schelstraete Delacourt?
The pool to fish in for new board members is larger than you think. At Schelstraete Delacourt, we do not settle for the profiles you already know: we actively scout the market for new names. In doing so, we build on more than 30 years of international experience in executive search for family businesses, listed companies and private equity players.
Board Audit
Your board consists of strong profiles. Does it deliver what you expect from it?
An effective board does more than provide oversight. It supports strategy, asks the right questions, encourages constructive debate and helps move the organization forward.
But even with the right people around the table, strong performance is not a given. Informal dynamics, blind spots, missing competencies or less effective collaboration can limit the impact of a board.
A board audit reveals where your board currently stands and how its effectiveness can be further strengthened.
After a board audit, you will know your board of directors better than ever
How does a board audit work?
Questions
Through a questionnaire, we map patterns in decision-making and collaboration.
Listening
We speak with each member to surface dynamics and points of tension.
Evaluating
Each board member gains insight into their contribution through a peer review.
Supporting
After the audit, we support the chair in translating the recommendations into concrete actions.
The result
Every board member brings expertise. Thanks to our approach, you know whether that expertise and personality add value to your board.
1. Does your board really make a difference?
We assess whether your board is steering on what matters: strategy and long-term vision, oversight and risk, culture and integrity, and governance that functions as it should.
2. Is your board composed in a balanced way?
A competency matrix links the composition of the board to the organization’s strategic challenges.
3. Is the formal functioning in order?
We map the operational functioning of your Board of Directors, focusing on meeting efficiency, the quality of decision-making, reporting and the follow-up of decisions.
4. What impact do informal dynamics have?
You will find out whether there is room within the board for critical reflection and dissenting opinions. Is there a collegial culture? Are certain board members too dominant? And does the chair fulfil their role as a connecting force within the board?
5. Is there sufficient self-criticism?
A combination of self-assessments and peer reviews provides insight into how board members view the functioning of the body.
A board’s effectiveness is determined by competencies, dynamics and functioning.
Why choose Schelstraete Delacourt?
A board performs at its best through the interplay of three ingredients that we at Schelstraete Delacourt never lose sight of:
- The right competencies around the table
- A formal process that structures the debate.
- The way board members interact with one another.
Time for a fresh look at your Board of Directors?
The most effective boards do not wait for problems before questioning themselves. New challenges, changing regulations, an upcoming growth phase, or the ambition to strengthen how the board functions: these are all good reasons for a board audit.
With an independent and structured analysis of the composition, functioning and dynamics of your board, you gain insight into what works well and where there is room to further increase the board’s impact.
