THE JOURNAL

Insights & Strategies.

Executive career positioning, mindset shifts, and recruitment secrets from 25+ years on the inside.

Joining a Board in a Different Industry: Making Your Experience Count

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

How to win a board role in a different industry. Why chairs hire from outside the sector, skills that carry across, learning fast and rewriting your board CV.

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Board Mentoring and Director Development Programs: Are They Worth It?

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

Are board mentoring and director development programs worth it? The main types, what they can and cannot do, how to choose one and how to get real value.

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Chairing a Not-for-Profit Board: What Changes in the Chair

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

What changes when you chair a not-for-profit board. Working with a stretched CEO, volunteers and members, funding pressure and planning chair succession.

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Building a Board Portfolio Over Ten Years: A Practical Plan

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

A practical ten-year board portfolio plan. Your first three seats, mixing paid and unpaid roles, moving to larger boards and when to aim for the chair.

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Facing Shareholders: The AGM From a Director's Side

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

What the AGM looks like from a director's side. Elections, shareholder questions, protest votes and how a new director can prepare to face members.

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Industry Association and Peak Body Boards: A Route for Senior Leaders

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

Industry association board seats explained for senior leaders. How peak body boards work, elected vs appointed seats, time, politics and getting elected.

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How Long Should a Director Stay on a Board? Terms, Tenure and Renewal

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

Board tenure explained. Common director terms, independence and long tenure, signs it is time to go, renewal talks with the chair and planning your next seat.

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When to Say No to a Board Seat

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

When to decline a board position. Red flags in the business and boardroom, time and conflict checks, how to say no politely and keep the chair on side.

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When the Company Is in Trouble: Early Warning Signs for Directors

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

Director insolvency warning signs in plain words. Signs in the numbers and the boardroom, questions to ask, getting advice early and when to stay or go.

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Health and Safety Duties for Directors in Australia and NZ

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

Director health and safety duties in plain words for Australia and NZ. Why safety is a board issue, questions to ask, reports to expect and your board CV.

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D&O Insurance and Deeds of Indemnity: Questions Before You Join a Board

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

Directors and officers insurance in plain words. What D&O cover does, deeds of indemnity, gaps to ask about, NFP boards and run-off cover when you leave.

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Director Induction: What Good Onboarding Looks Like and What to Ask For

Belinda Paris

Published on: 12/11/2026

Board director induction explained. What good onboarding covers, documents to read first, meeting the auditor, site visits and questions for the chair.

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Board Chair Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Board chair interview questions with example answers. How chair selection differs, leading the board, working with the CEO, handling a crisis and what to ask.

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Board Vacancy Websites and Registers: Do They Work?

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Do board vacancy websites and director registers work? The main types, what roles they fill, how to make your profile count and how much time to spend on them.

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Board Committee Chair: Stepping Up From Member

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

What changes when you step up from member to committee chair. Working with management, agendas, reporting to the board and which committee to chair first.

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Board Evaluations: How Directors Are Reviewed and Why It Matters for Your Next Seat

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

How board evaluations work, what chairs look for in each director and how your boardroom reputation follows you to your next seat in Australia and NZ.

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Conflicts of Interest: When You Sit on a Board and Hold an Executive Role

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

A practical guide to conflict of interest for a board director who also holds an executive role. Common conflicts, declaring them and when to step down.

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How to Read a Board Pack as a New Director

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

How to read a board pack as a new director. What is in it, the order to read it, the finance and risk pages, and how to prepare sharp questions.

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Director Duties: What New Directors in Australia and NZ Need to Know

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Director duties in plain words for new directors in Australia and NZ. The core duties, key differences, NFP boards, protecting yourself and questions to ask.

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Fit and Proper Requirements for Directors in Regulated Industries

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

What fit and proper director requirements mean for bank, insurance and super boards in Australia and NZ, what is checked and how to prepare your record.

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Council-Controlled Organisations in NZ: How Board Appointments Work

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

How council controlled organisation board appointments work in NZ. What a CCO is, how directors are chosen, the skills councils seek and how to apply.

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Co-operative and Mutual Boards: Governing for Members

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Thinking of becoming a co-operative board director? How member boards differ, elected vs independent seats, the skills sought and how to find a role.

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Honorary Treasurer: The Board Role Built for Finance Leaders

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

The board treasurer role is a natural first seat for finance leaders. What a treasurer does, the risks people miss, and board CV wording that works.

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School Boards and Councils as a First Governance Role

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Thinking of becoming a school board member? How school boards and councils work in Australia and NZ, what the role involves and how to use it on a board CV.

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Arts and Cultural Boards: What They Want From Business Leaders

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Thinking of becoming an arts board director? What arts and cultural boards want from business leaders, how funding works, and how to find and win a seat.

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Sport Board Roles: A Practical Way Onto a Board

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Sports board director roles are a practical first board seat. Local, state and national levels, skills needed, finding vacancies and time commitment.

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From CEO to Non-Executive Director: Letting Go of Running It

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Moving from CEO to non executive director means letting go of running the business. Why former CEOs struggle on boards and what chairs want instead.

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Too Many CFOs Want Board Seats: How to Stand Out in a Crowded Field

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Want a CFO board seat? Finance skills are common on boards. Learn what chairs look for, how to pair finance with a second skill and rewrite your board CV.

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Board Strategy Days: Where Directors Actually Add Value

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

How directors add value at board strategy days. What the day is for, how to prepare, challenging without taking over, and the finance director's role.

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Audit and Risk Committee Questions Ex-CFO Directors Should Ask the Auditor

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

The questions former CFOs on audit committees should ask the external auditor. Scope, risk, judgement calls, private sessions and the audit report.

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