Selection Criteria
Eligibility
Applications are welcomed from people of all walks of life who consider that they have the appropriate skills and experience to become a director.
In general terms, everyone is eligible to be considered for appointment to a Crown company board, although the reasons outlined in section 151(2) of the Companies Act 1993, that disqualify a person from becoming a director, also apply to Crown companies.
Public servants from core government departments are generally not eligible for appointment to Crown company boards, and the staff of a Crown company cannot be appointed to the board of their own organisation (although they may be appointed to subsidiary boards).
What we look for in director candidates
Board directors are selected and appointed on the basis of their skills and the needs of a particular board.
It is important that the board comprise a balance of skills and experience that matches the strategic direction and needs of the company. The emphasis is on appointing the best qualified person for each position. A best qualified Crown company director is generally defined as the candidate whose skills and experience best meet the Ministers’ assessment of the skill profile for the director vacancy.
There are, however, some basic competencies that all directors must have:
- an ability to add value,
- an ability to communicate clearly, orally and in writing,
- the ability to take a wide perspective on issues,
- common sense, integrity and a strong sense of ethics,
- organisational and strategic awareness,
- an appreciation of the role of the Crown as a shareholder,
- a knowledge of the responsibilities of a director and an ability to distinguish corporate governance from management,
- financial literacy,
- a well-developed critical faculty,
- the confidence to ask questions,
- an ability to work in a team.
Within the above general skill set, every effort is made to include people who reflect the Government's wish that Crown company boards align with the country’s demographic make-up.
