What does it actually take to move from the executive suite into the boardroom, and why do so many capable leaders misjudge the leap?
In this episode of The Boardroom Path, host Ralph Grayson speaks with Catherine May, an experienced chair, non-executive director and certified executive coach with more than 25 years at executive committee level in FTSE 30 businesses including RELX, Centrica and SABMiller. They explore why culture, not capability, decides whether a board succeeds, how aspiring NEDs can read their own fit before committing, and why a board seat is closer to a six-year commitment than a two-day-a-month role.
Catherine also sets out a practical answer to the question every board is now asking: do we need an AI specialist in the room, or a sharper way to bring expertise to the table? Against research showing that boards are openly debating where human judgement should end and AI should begin, with only 37% of directors seeing their board as essential to value creation, this is a grounded guide to building a board career that lasts.
- (00:00) - Welcome to The Boardroom Path
- (03:13) - From Executive Committee to the Boardroom
- (05:19) - Should NEDs Engage Directly With Investors
- (08:17) - The Corporate Affairs Route Into the Boardroom
- (10:07) - What Executives Misunderstand About Boards
- (13:30) - Why Fit Matters More Than Star Power
- (16:35) - Coaching, Self-Awareness and Knowing Who You Are
- (20:32) - How the Role of the Board Has Changed
- (23:15) - The Six-Year Commitment Nobody Expects
- (27:12) - Reputation, Crisis and Emotional Alignment
- (31:12) - Capabilities Over Domain Expertise
- (32:35) - Diversity, Inclusion and a Smarter Boardroom
- (36:31) - Advisory Boards and the AI Question
- (42:16) - Constructive Challenge and Psychological Safety
- (44:08) - Should Every Chair Have a Coach
- (48:24) - Refreshing Board Talent and the Search Question
Catherine May: Catherine May is an experienced chair, non-executive director, committee chair and certified executive leadership coach, and currently chair of the board at Shoreham Port. She spent more than 25 years at executive committee level in global FTSE 30 businesses, leading corporate affairs, investor relations, sustainability, crisis management, public affairs and brand strategy at RELX, Centrica and SABMiller. She founded Catherine May Associates in 2015, working with senior leaders and boards to strengthen governance, build high-performing cultures and prepare executives for board-level responsibility. She is recognised for her expertise in reputation, risk, leadership development and guiding organisations through transformation, giving her a distinctive perspective at the intersection of leadership, governance and corporate reputation.
Ralph Grayson: Ralph Grayson is a Partner in the Board Practice at Sainty Hird & Partners, bringing extensive experience in board-level recruitment, assessment, and advisory services. With a deep understanding of the corporate governance landscape, Ralph specialises in guiding senior executives as they transition into impactful boardroom careers. His thoughtful approach, combined with a passion for developing effective leaders, enables him to facilitate insightful conversations that equip aspiring and newly appointed Non-Executive Directors with the tools they need to succeed. Through The Boardroom Path, Ralph leverages his extensive professional network and expertise to empower listeners on their journey into the boardroom.
"Culture for me is the beginning and end of whether a company is going to be successful or not." Catherine May, Chair, Non-Executive Director and Executive Coach
Episode Insights:
- The line between board and management is softer than executives expect; effective NEDs cross it carefully to understand culture without upsetting the apple cart.
- Culture is the single biggest risk any business faces, because a weak culture quietly enables bad practice and silences the people who would otherwise call it out.
- Fit matters more than star power; rooms full of grandstanding individuals rarely gel, and succession and nominations should be a continuous conversation, not an annual one.
- A NED role is a long, serious commitment, closer to six years and far more than the headline day count, so emotional alignment with the organisation is essential before saying yes.
- Capabilities, attitude and values beat narrow domain expertise; advisory panels, not endless new board seats, are the smarter way to bring specialist insight on issues like AI.
Action Points:
- Interrogate your fit before you commit: Before accepting a board seat, ask honestly whether you admire the organisation, its people and its products. Picture how you would feel giving far more time than your fee covers if a crisis hit. If the emotional connection is not there, walk away politely before going further.
- Treat culture as a standing board priority: Find non-disruptive ways to see daily working life across the business rather than relying on management reports. Look for whether people feel safe to call out behaviour that is not right. Use that evidence to satisfy yourself the culture genuinely supports the right behaviours.
- Appoint for difference, not just comfort: When refreshing the board, resist the easy hire who knows the sector inside out and gets on with everyone. Lean into candidates who bring different perspectives and experience. Pair that with an inclusive chair who ensures every voice is genuinely heard in and out of meetings.
- Make nominations a continuous conversation: Keep succession and the board pipeline on the agenda at every nominations meeting, not once a year. Encourage directors to scan their networks continually and work with diligent search partners. This de-risks appointments and avoids settling for candidates who do not knock your socks off.
- Use advisory panels to handle fast-moving issues: Rather than adding a board seat for every emerging risk such as AI, task a small specialist group, including at least one NED, with rapid horizon scanning. Keep it light-footed and focused so it can report back quickly and inform strategy without making the board too big to function.
The Boardroom Path is the essential podcast for aspiring and newly appointed Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) navigating the journey from executive leadership to the boardroom. Hosted by Ralph Grayson, partner at Sainty Hird & Partners, each episode offers insightful conversations with industry leaders, seasoned board directors, and governance experts. Our guests share practical strategies, valuable perspectives, and actionable advice on how to effectively transition into board roles, maximise your impact, and build a rewarding NED career.
Subscribe now, and take your first confident step along The Boardroom Path. Learn more about Sainty Hird & Partners at saintyhird.com.
The Boardroom Path is produced by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford, UK.
