Keeping Good Companies articles from September 2007

Keeping Good Companies archives from September 2007

CFOs offer 'total package'--ambition CFO Market Trends Review 2007.(Chief financial officers)
September 1, 2007... More than just numbers With the increasing complexity of corporate governance requirements there has been further demand for CFOs with technical skills. However, CFOs who are capable of communicating well and adding value to a business can...

Maximising the effectiveness of not-for-profit boards.(Key Issues: APPLIED CORPORATE GOVERNANCE)
September 1, 2007... The not-for-profit (NFP) sector, together with the activity of volunteering, has always been a major player in the economy, in employment, and in our quality of life. Changes over the past decade have resulted in the sector now playing a...

Changes to capital raising arrangements.(Australian Securities Exchange)
September 1, 2007... The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has processes in place to continually review and update its listing rules whether in response to changes in market practice, legislative amendments or to remedy issues that ASX perceives in the market....

The challenge of shareholders' questions.(NEWS AND VIEWS)
September 1, 2007... A recent report in the New York Times (1) claimed that shareholder activism is becoming more prevalent. It cites the cases of Prudential and Citigroup, among others, who have faced calls from hedge funds to change their business strategies. The...

CSA brand awareness on the up and up.(CSA IN FOCUS)
September 1, 2007... The results of CSA's Brand Awareness Study clearly indicate that a relatively small organisation is making a growing impression in the business community. As first reported to you in the December 2005 issue of Keeping good companies, and...

Copyright--the overlooked IP risk.
September 1, 2007... The use of copyright material from newspaper and magazine articles, external market trend reports or annual reports is common and necessary in everyday business. These materials are vital for research and development and helping a company...

Inducting directors--how new directors can hit the ground running.(Key Issues: COMPANY SECRETARY)
September 1, 2007... The identification of the background, skills and expertise of the people who walk into the board room is a good start, but it is what they do when they get there that is critical. HIH Royal Commission (1) If no clear directorial...

Circumstantial evidence of collusion and leniency--where does the ACCC go from here?(Professional Updates: COMPETITION LAW)(Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
September 1, 2007... The Federal Court has dismissed an action brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) alleging that seven petrol companies (and eight principals or employees of those companies) were parties to seven separate, but...

Breaking up is hard to do--dealing with the removal of directors from the board.(Professional Updates: CORPORATE LAW)
September 1, 2007... Differences of opinion in the boardroom are inevitable in corporate life. Usually, disagreements will be resolved by a board vote with all directors abiding by the result. If a director does not wish to be associated with a particular course of...

Confronting short-termism--embedding a forward thinking boardroom culture based on the provision of strategic direction.(Professional Updates: MANAGEMENT)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Short-termism is based in the demand by market agents for constantly improving quarterly earnings performance and its reflection in share prices. Management have responded with strategies to maximise earnings in the short-term, often by...

Directors, information technology and the paper war.(NEWS AND VIEWS)
September 1, 2007... I read with interest Jeff Cossette's thoughtful article on the application of secure IT to board meetings ('Getting on board' in Keeping good companies, Vol 59 No 4, May 2007, p 198). While he draws attention to a desirable practice, I submit...

Adviser, counsel, conduit--wearing many different hats.(Key Issues: RISK MANAGEMENT)
September 1, 2007... The role of the modern company secretary is not what it used to be. Previously described as a 'mere administrative' role, it is changing for many of the same reasons that we have seen the role of chairmen, boards and senior executive management...

Directors' views of strategic risks.(NEWS AND VIEWS)
September 1, 2007... The current debate on the role of corporate boards is starting to focus on the value that boards add in the strategic process and in assessing the environment for risks and opportunities. Commentators bemoan the amount of time spent on 'mere'...

Going forwards, or not, with GST Forward Compliance Arrangements.(Professional Updates: TAXATION LAW)
September 1, 2007... In early 2004 the then Commissioner of Taxation, Michael Carmody, departed from convention. Usually the ATO seeks to engage and educate taxpayers via tax practitioners and intermediate forums. (1) This approach is tried and true. It is also...