Answers to your Frequently Asked Questions.

If you are based in the UK, where our events are hosted and looking for in-person connections and networking, we recommend that you take the Premium Membership. 

If you are based abroad, the Standard Membership is likely better suited. The Standard Membership provides unlimited access to our online platform, jobs, learning resources and virtual events. 

If you remain unsure, please contact us at [email protected]. One of the NEDonBoard team will be happy to assist you.

No pre-qualification is required. NEDonBoard encourages professionals from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences to explore non-executive director and board member roles. Nevertheless, you need to be in a position to bring a positive contribution to the board and organisation on which you aim to serve.

You do not have to be a UK resident to qualify for our NED membership. As an inclusive organisation, we welcome all professionals who are aligned with our mission and are looking for professional development opportunities, connection and inspiration. In addition to the UK and the Republic of Ireland, NEDonBoard members include professionals from the Middle East, Asia, Continental Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada.

NEDonBoard is the UK professional body and institute solely dedicated to non-executive directors and board members. As an independent membership organisation, we place the interests of our members at the core of our operations. Most of our members are experienced professionals with typically at least one board role and years of experience at board level. We welcome those on track to their first position as well and also meet the needs of highly experienced portfolio chairs. 

There are many privately-owned NED organisations, which vary widely in terms of quality. We strongly encourage you to perform your due diligence. The Institute of Board Members oversees the knowledge, skills, conduct, practice of non-executive directors and board members. The Institute is a not-for-profit organisation.

Please email us at [email protected] if you want a professional opinion.

When boards look to appoint a non-executive director, they are looking for the candidate to have a diverse range of skills and knowledge so that they can contribute to the sustainable success of their organisation. Anyone who has held a senior executive position, consulted with boards or developed an expertise and skills that are transferable, can fast-track their progression and become board-ready and appointable by taking the NED Accelerator Programme. There are no strict eligibility criteria to enrol into the Programme.

NEDonBoard is an approved professional organisation and learned society. If you are a UK tax resident, you can claim tax relief on your annual NED membership fee, provided that being a member of our organisation is relevant to your job. Our status effectively lowers the cost of your membership. Further details are available here.

This will depend on the individual company. Most will have a training budget to support the professional development of employees and staff retention, so it’s worth having a conversation with your manager or HR director. When discussing the possibility of them covering the cost, we recommend that you highlight the institute and professional body status of NEDonBoard, Institute of Board Members, our independence and the experience of our course leaders, speakers and panelists involved in delivering high-quality content to you.

If you would like to discuss your specific situation, please email [email protected].

A professional body is an organisation with individual members practising a profession in which the organisation maintains an oversight of the knowledge, skills, conduct and practices of that profession. A professional body seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession and the public interest.

Professional organisations go through a rigorous process to be approved as a professional body and learned society. NEDonBoard became the professional body and learned society for non-executive directors and board members in 2017. The list of approved professional bodies is publicly available on the UK government website.