Adding Value at Advisory Board level

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This week I stood down as a member of an Advisory Board for an international company. I won’t share the details for purposes of commercial sensitivity and also it doesn’t really add to the story

It’s been an interesting journey for all concerned, picking up a business which was established in Latam but finding it’s feet in Europe.

Over the past decade we’ve navigated some difficult waters together. The pandemic didn’t help but there were many other issues as well, including that of the perception of a Latam business in Europe. We worked hard to become a technology ‘category killer’ and picked up an Award on the way, and the future looks promising.

The intention had always been to grow value, even if growing revenue was harder to come by. We did this through our go-to-market approach, and the creation of critical partnership infrastructures. I’ve helped where I can, and leveraged my personal networks.

Advisory Boards exist to give guidance and direction. It’s not our role to be critical of the Executive layer, even if from time to time there was a real temptation to step in. But AB members aren’t meant to have an operational role. Nudge, not push. Guide, not direct. To a ‘hands on’ guy, it can be frustrating.

But at AB level there’s also a secret sauce, and that is passion. When that passion fades, or is distracted, or when you no longer think that you are adding enough value, then its time to draw the line. There’s no point fighting it. All businesses go through phases, and need different advice for each of those periods. To every time, there is a season.

And for me, it’s a gentle and honourable parting, but one where I think that I’ve played my part.