Corporate governance has come a long way in the past 10 years since the Cadbury Report first propelled the subject to the top of the agenda in the UK.

One of the biggest changes has been the increasing significance placed on the role of non-executive directors. The non-executive director is considered crucial to the board, bringing an independent element and valued experience to the company. This role is now codified and encouraged by the Combined Code, the governance Bible based on Cadbury and subsequent reports.