The IoD gets new head

Lindie Engelbrecht is to succeed Tony Dixon as the new Executive Director of the Institute of Directors (IoD). A current director at KPMGs Department of Professional Practice, focusing on Assurance and Corporate Governance, Lindie has gotten to know the IoD over the past few years, through her work as national coordinator of the Audit Committee Forum.

So, when the IoD started looking for someone to take over the reins from Tony Dixon next year, it made sense for Lindie to be considered, given her in-depth knowledge of corporate governance trends and legislation.

"When it comes to corporate governance, there are very few people who come close to Lindie in terms of experience and sheer passion," says Dixon, "And I believe that this, together with her drive and determination, makes her the perfect candidate for the job."

From 1 October 2007, Lindie will start settling in at the IoD before taking over as Executive Director in January. One of her main jobs initially will be to set up the new Centre for Corporate Governance.

"In addition to the existing Audit Committee Forum, we plan to establish various bodies to focus on issues like board relationships and governance rating systems," says Lindie. "As South Africas leading proponent of Corporate Governance, it makes sense for the IoD to help companies get independently rated on their governance standards, similar to BEE ratings, in a way that will make governance more tangible and boost investor confidence."

In addition to the integral time Lindie will be spending working on the King III Report, (due for release in December 2008), she'll also be learning the ropes from Tony Dixon, who will stay on at the IoD in a more flexible working capacity, focusing on board evaluations.

"Tony has transformed the IoD during his tenure and it's wonderful to have the opportunity to learn from and be guided by him as the IoD continues to grow towards its vision of being the primary representative of corporate governance in South Africa, offering a truly valuable service to directors," says Lindie. "And the best part is that I get to give my full time and attention to the pursuit of something I feel really passionate about."