Agency Non-Exec Director
Adding an experienced agency leader as an independent Non-Executive Director (NED) can significantly strengthen your agency’s strategic decision-making and governance. With 25 years of agency leadership experience, including building and successfully exiting my own digital agency, I bring valuable perspective and accountability to agency boardrooms.
The Value of an Agency NED
As your Non-Executive Director, I provide:
Independent Oversight
A truly objective perspective that balances the needs of the business with shareholder interests, unclouded by day-to-day operational concerns.
Strategic Experience
Decades of agency-specific expertise to inform critical decisions, identify blind spots, and validate strategic directions.
Accountability
Regular check-ins on progress toward strategic goals, ensuring the leadership team remains focused on agreed priorities.
Challenging Questions
The confidence to ask difficult questions that internal directors might avoid, creating space for more thorough discussion of critical issues.
“As a lone agency founder, Mat has saved me from my ‘lonely at the top’ existence. Working with him has allowed me to bounce ideas and questions and benefit from his experience, insights and ability to get me to the core of an issue with (mostly) gentle questioning!”
-Duncan Davidson, Rohallion
Board Models: Finding Your Fit
Formal Board of Directors
Most common with larger agencies and those with multiple shareholders, this model includes regular structured board meetings with formal agendas, board papers, and minutes. My role includes:
- Attending monthly or quarterly board meetings
- Reviewing board papers and financial reports in advance
- Contributing to strategic discussions
- Questioning assumptions and providing challenge
- Supporting governance and compliance
Advisory Board
For growing agencies not yet ready for a full formal board, an advisory board provides many of the same benefits with less bureaucracy. This approach includes:
- Scheduled advisory meetings with similar structure to board meetings
- Focus on strategic issues rather than compliance
- Flexible format adaptable to your agency’s needs
- Supporting leadership development and decision-making
Beyond Agencies: NED for Other Businesses
I also serve as a Non-Executive Director for non-agency businesses seeking expertise in marketing, marketing technology, and digital transformation. My background provides valuable perspective for boards looking to strengthen their digital capabilities or improve their marketing governance.
Is NED Support Right for Your Agency?
Adding a Non-Executive Director is particularly valuable for agencies that:
- Have ambitious growth plans requiring strategic oversight
- Need additional experienced perspective in the boardroom
- Want to improve governance and decision-making processes
- Are preparing for investment or exit in the medium term
- Have founders seeking accountability and challenge
Next Steps
If you’re considering adding NED expertise to your agency’s leadership structure, let’s discuss how I might be able to support your specific goals. I maintain a limited number of NED appointments to ensure I can provide meaningful value to each business I work with.