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Marine Court Board Advisory
From Dysfunction to Direction: Building the Foundations of Governance
Summary
The Challenge
Marine Court’s board had long struggled without a clear governance framework.
Roles blurred, accountability wavered, and decision-making often depended more on personality than principle.
The result was familiar: frustration, inconsistency, and erosion of trust — both within the board and across the wider shareholder community.
What was needed wasn’t another round of debate or documentation.
It was structure — a practical, transparent system that could restore order, protect directors and help future boards operate with confidence and integrity.
The Solution
I stepped in to provide strategic advisory support to the board — offering guidance, structure, and specialist insight while ensuring directors retained full autonomy in their decisions.
The focus was on rebuilding from within: introducing governance discipline, delivery systems, and long-term strategic clarity without disrupting existing roles or authority.
Together, these interventions created the foundation for a healthier, more functional board culture — one capable of making principled, well-informed decisions and regaining the confidence of its community.
The Approach
Governance Framework
The first priority was to address the board’s structural vulnerabilities.
I proposed a full governance review led by an independent expert, supported by me in a project management capacity.
Key steps included:
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Defining scope, objectives, and deliverables for a fit-for-purpose governance model
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Shortlisting and commissioning independent governance specialists
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Coordinating transparent procurement, workshops, and milestone reviews
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Facilitating board alignment at each stage to ensure collective ownership
The outcome will be Marine Court’s first formal governance framework — a living document that embeds accountability, transparency, and continuity for future boards.
Organisational Structure & Delivery Support
To bring order to the board’s workload, I introduced a centralised project tracker — listing all ongoing works, owners, budgets, and timelines.
This simple system created immediate visibility, reducing duplication and firefighting.
It also laid the foundation for consistent project delivery and knowledge transfer — ensuring that when directors change, progress doesn’t reset.
Strategic and Project Advisory
Complex projects such as the front-door fire-safety programme required joined-up thinking.
I contributed delivery insight and structured analysis — helping the board balance compliance, cost, and practicality, while strengthening decision-making through evidence and logic rather than urgency or influence.
Marine Court Business Plan
Finally, I began shaping a Marine Court Business Plan, as a tool to express the building’s purpose, values, and long-term direction.
An external strategy advisor will help complete this work, ensuring it meets best-practice standards and becomes a shared reference for all future boards.
Once complete, it will sit alongside the governance framework as Marine Court’s strategic compass, guiding consistent and values-led decisions across future boards.
The Results
70%
Participation
Most directors actively engaged in the new systems and processes, marking a shift from reactive discussions to structured collaboration.
100%
Project Tracker Adoption
All current workstreams now run through a single shared tracker, improving visibility, accountability, and continuity across the board.
1st
Governance Framework
For the first time in Marine Court’s history, a professional governance review is underway — setting new standards for transparency and decision-making.