Boards & non-executive roles
Independent judgement for boards navigating growth and change.
Vikas combines the experience of building and exiting businesses with non-executive and audit, risk and assurance responsibilities across business, regulation and public service. He welcomes conversations about chair, non-executive and committee appointments where that experience can make a useful contribution.
What he brings
Four things a board gets on day one.
Audit, risk & assurance
Chairs the audit, risk and assurance committee of one of the UK's largest government departments and sits on the audit and risk committees of a regulator and a professional body. Comfortable with internal controls, external audit, assurance opinions and setting a risk appetite that changes decisions.
A founder's eye in the boardroom
Twenty-five years as a founder-CEO, more than twenty-five transactions and exits to trade, private equity and listed groups. Knows what it is like to sit on the other side of the board table, and how to challenge an executive team without undermining it.
Regulation & public accountability
Experience of boards that answer to Parliament, regulators and the public, including scrutiny by the National Audit Office. Brings that discipline to private and third-sector boards without the bureaucracy.
Technology & AI governance
Chairs an AI scale-up and contributes to a regulator's work on AI and digital transformation. Helps boards ask the right questions about technology risk, data and their own use of AI.
Situations he suits
Where the experience is useful.
- 01Founder-led businesses professionalising their governance
- 02Growth, restructuring and preparation for a transaction
- 03Regulated and public-interest organisations
- 04Organisations going through significant change
- 05Audit, risk and remuneration committee leadership
- 06Technology, AI and data governance
How an appointment is considered
Fit first, then commitment.
Every conversation is confidential, and both sides should be able to walk away easily before the point of commitment.
- 01
A conversation
About the organisation, the role, the board and what the appointment is meant to achieve.
- 02
Fit and conflicts
A frank look at time, independence and any conflicts with existing commitments, in both directions.
- 03
Due diligence
References, papers and meetings with the chair, the executive and fellow directors, before either side commits.
- 04
Decision
A clear yes or no, quickly. A board biography is available on request.
Conversations he draws on, through Thought Economics
Melinda French Gates · Daniel Kahneman · Ratan Tata · Steve Ballmer · Sheryl Sandberg · Muhammad Yunusand 600 more.