59. Anand Aithal, Cabinet Office Lead Non-Exec - Building a board portfolio: listed, government and charity boards

On top of his Cabinet Office role, Anand is a NED at Saga plc, Polar Capital Holdings plc and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. Tune in to his conversation with Nurole CEO Oliver Cummings to hear his thoughts on: Was being a portfolio NED always the plan? (1:03) What advice do you have for people in the early stages of their board careers? (1:57) Pre-interview, how did you make yourself stand out as a candidate? (4:00) What role did your entrepreneurial background play in your applications? (6:03) Are the same things that helped you stand out, the ones that help you add value to your boards? (7:31) What executive experiences have been most valuable as a non-exec? (8:37)  What was the biggest surprise when you started as a board member? (11:04) What was your thinking around taking on pro bono roles? (11:48) How do government and charity boards compare? (16:46) What is the Cabinet Office board and what does it do? (19:46) How is your role as Lead Non-Exec different from non-exec? (26:03) How do your listed company boards compare to government and charity? (31:31) What have you learned about managing time across your portfolio? (33:59) Are there any rituals common to the highest performing boards you’ve seen? (34:54) And ⚡The Lightning Round ⚡ (39:06) 

Host: Oliver Cummings

Producer: Will Felton

Editor: Alex Fish

Music: Kate Mac

Audio: Nick Kolt

Email: podcast@nurole.com

Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom