The First Mandate is the Hardest: How to Build a Career as an Independent Director

A board career as a young, independent director? It is possible, even without executive experience. Learn what works to earn appointments, how to structure a portfolio of positions, and key lessons for ongoing success.

In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, is joined by Katia Ciesielska. Katia is an independent non-executive director and corporate governance adviser based in Luxembourg. Over the last eight years, she has built a diverse and substantial cross-border portfolio. A former corporate and funds lawyer, she brings legal, compliance and commercial judgement to the boardroom. Katia is an INSEAD- and ILA-certified director, serves on the board of the Luxembourg Institute of Governance (ILA), and contributes to its working groups. A speaker, trainer, and mentor, she has been named three times to the annual Paperjam’s Top 100 Women on Boards.

“My route into the board was not the obvious one.”

Katia joined her first board at 37, just 10 years after university. She chose to leave her corporate and financial law career after being exposed to the world of independent directors and wishing to work on complex issues for different companies. To break in without a long executive career, she took a different approach.

“There wasn’t one moment where all the entry barriers suddenly disappeared, so I overcame them gradually.”

For Katia, several steps added up to success. She learned to explain how her legal background benefited boards. She got and remains active in the governance community. She joined multiple professional associations, sought out mentors, and became a speaker and educator. This let people see her project work in action, revealed her judgment and thought processes, and helped her grow her network. With these small, consistent steps, she drew closer to her first mandate.

“At the same time, I was also very practical about my search.”

Katia proactively approached relevant firms and executive search groups to share her interest in open seats and what mandates appealed to her. She invested in becoming a certified director as well as other executive education courses. One year after finishing her first certification program, she had her first seat.

“Once opportunities start coming in, it can be very tempting to say yes to everything.”

Initially, capacity was a major constraint, yet she also feared missing out. Now, she considers her portfolio to ensure she has time, interest, no conflicts, and can truly give the role the attention it deserves. She balances 15 – 20 mandates, including regulated mandates, up to the full limit permitted by her regulators.

“There are quite a few things I would do differently.”

Looking back, Katia reflects that patience is particularly important. When she started, she didn’t fully understand the time it takes to build trust, develop a reputation, and form the relationships that lead to appointments. She also feels she said yes too often early on without considering fit, relied on hard work to pave her way instead of clearly communicating what she wanted, and worried about being underqualified instead of trusting she had something to contribute.

 

The top three takeaways from our conversation for effective boards are:

• The first mandate is the hardest. Once opportunities arrive, design your portfolio carefully and protect your reputation by saying no when necessary.
• Being excellent in your profession is not the same as being ready for the boardroom. Broaden your perspective beyond your specialist expertise.
• A board career is a long game. Consistent, proactive steps matter more than occasional bursts of activity.

 

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