Raising the bar in the Cook Islands

The first Company Directors’ Course held outside New Zealand has lifted the sights and standards of aspiring directors in the Cook Islands, with Deputy Prime Minister Albert Nicholas also keen to sharpen his skill set.

The course attracted more than 20 participants, most from the state-owned Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC), which manages all the government’s assets on Rarotonga and outer islands.

One of the participants, Ashleigh Steele, says the course gave her confidence in understanding the bigger picture. “One of my fears was not knowing what I didn’t know. I feel I have gained a better overview of what it takes to be a good governor and a stronger sense of direction when it comes to my governance roles and where I see myself fit in.

“The dynamics in the boardroom are key, being able to share different points of views are very important, and that this can be done in a respectful way,” says Steele, who is on the board of government-controlled water authority To Tatou Vai and is a member of two school boards.

CIIC director Rohan Ellis says the course has given him the confidence to think about a chair role. “I was fortunate to act as chair in a board simulation exercise and this experience has given me confidence to step up as a chair of a future board.”

Ellis has served on boards as an ordinary member for the past 12 years without formal governance training, he says, relying on professional experience to guide him in etiquette, engagement and decision-making.

“The CDC reaffirmed my personal understanding of governance, but more importantly it has helped me appreciate the breadth and depth across all facets of business, from vision development to reporting and evaluation. I now understand the far-reaching impacts good governance can have on an organisation.”

Nancy Matapuku, the deputy chair of the Cook Islands Airport Authority, says the course came at the right time for her, having first become a director in 2020.

“The in-depth study and live board simulations helped me shift my mindset into a governance role, away from the operational or management side of the business, which for me as a small business owner proved challenging at the start.

“The role is to oversee, to have a ‘noses in, fingers out’ approach, much like a helicopter as it hovers over a landscape, and ensuring there is a strategic plan in place that can be realistically executed, alongside effective policies to guide this. We were given a broader perspective of boards in New Zealand and the professionalism that is required to perform at high levels.”

Matapuku, a qualified financial accountant, says one of the most important takeaways was that managing and demonstrating high levels of emotional agility is equally important as having high levels of intellectual agility.

“It is our responsibility to bring our best to the board table at each meeting, being present and prepared. And ensure that as a board director we each have the responsibility to foster levels of respect and trust which allows each director to express an opinion. Constructive and robust discussions should be facilitated so good decisions can be made at the board table.”

Being thrust into the role as a chair in the board simulation was a little daunting at first, she says. “However, it gave me a taste of facilitating an actual board meeting and how to manage personalities. The challenge was understanding how to activate each board member, facilitate a constructive debate so a decision can be made that is balanced and in the best interest of the entity.

“Towards the end of the board simulations there was a sense of collective accomplishment, and the confidence I gained was truly rewarding. The skills learnt and the tools provided have given us all a springboard.”

Caren Rangi MInstD, a course facilitator and member of the IoD’s Pacific Advisory Group, started a director development programme in the Cook Islands eight years ago and the CIIC’s involvement showed they wanted to do “things right”.

“Most of the people on the course already had a foundation in governance, starting off with the Essentials’ suite about five years ago. And the bulk of them were connected to the CIIC.

“This was the first time there’s been such an intensive course – five and a half days – and I was impressed by their level of commitment and engagement. They appreciated this opportunity right on their doorstep.”

Rangi, a New Zealand-born Cook Islands Māori, says the heightened learning came in the board simulations and participants exercising and testing their styles of governance alongside their peers.

“They’ve all been involved in strategic planning on their boards, but this was probably the first time they got a chance to really tease that out. What does effective strategic planning look like and then being able to practice it in their sessions.

“Finance tends to be an area where people get quite nervous because it seems far more technical. It’s that balance between saying to people you don’t have to be an accountant, but you do need a minimum level of literacy. And this is what that looks like. So again, a chance to test it out.”

Another important aspect involved legal liability, acting out scenarios, with a local lawyer bridging the gaps between New Zealand legislative requirements and what is the same or different in the Cook Islands.

The course attracted media and TV attention, with Deputy Prime Minister Albert Nicholas, who is also the Minister responsible for the CIIC, showing his interest.

“He’s sitting at the biggest governance table in the country, but he made the point that no one is trained in governance, having gone into politics. And he’s quite keen to do the next course,” says Rangi, who was “thrilled” to be involved with the first CDC delivery outside New Zealand, and “probably even more chuffed” it was in the Cook Islands.

The IoD will stage another CDC in Rarotonga from 24-29 November.

For more information about the Company Directors’ Course please visit us at
iod.org.nz or contact us on 0800 846 369.