Governance Excellence Diagnostic
We assess your governance system against the highest international governance standards and help you achieve world-class effectiveness across all GCC regulatory requirements.
The Opportunity
The GCC's capital markets are raising governance expectations. Stock exchanges from Tadawul to Muscat now require boards to demonstrate effectiveness, not just compliance. International investors evaluate governance quality before committing capital. Vision 2030 calls for Saudi boards to match global best practice.
Your board has an opportunity to lead. By benchmarking against ISO 37000 principles and meeting Capital Market Authority (CMA) requirements, you can demonstrate governance excellence that attracts investment, satisfies regulators, and drives superior performance. The question isn't whether your board functions—it's whether your governance system excels.
This diagnostic helps you reach that standard. We show you where your governance already meets international best practice and where targeted improvements can elevate your board to world-class performance.
Our Solution
We conduct a comprehensive assessment that measures your governance effectiveness against three critical benchmarks: ISO 37000 international principles, GCC regulatory requirements, and peer best practice. Over 2-3 weeks, we map your governance maturity, identify opportunities for enhancement, and provide a roadmap to excellence.
This isn't a compliance checklist. It's a strategic assessment led by ISO 37000 co-authors who understand both international standards and regional regulatory expectations. We combine document review, confidential stakeholder interviews, and standards-based maturity scoring. You receive an objective evaluation of where your governance stands and specific recommendations for reaching top-tier performance.
The result is clarity on your board's current capabilities and a practical plan for achieving governance excellence. Every recommendation aligns with CMA regulations, stock exchange listing requirements, and Vision 2030's emphasis on world-class governance systems.
Why Leading Boards Choose This Assessment
Benchmark against ISO 37000 — Measure your governance against the principles used by world-class organizations
Meet regulatory expectations — Ensure compliance with CMA and regional stock exchange requirements
Attract international investment — Demonstrate governance quality that satisfies sophisticated investors
Prepare for listing or uplisting — Validate readiness for IPO or exchange tier advancement
Support board renewal — Provide objective data for succession planning and capability development
Align with Vision 2030 — Show governance excellence that supports national transformation goals
Achieve competitive advantage — Position governance as strategic strength, not just compliance requirement
Regulatory Coverage
Our assessment ensures your board meets governance requirements across all major GCC capital markets:
🇸🇦SAUDI ARABIA
- • Capital Market Authority (CMA) Corporate Governance Regulations
- • Tadawul (Saudi Exchange) listing requirements
- • Vision 2030 governance excellence standards
🇦🇪UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
- • Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) governance requirements
- • Dubai Financial Market (DFM) listing rules
- • Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) corporate governance standards
🇰🇼KUWAIT
- • Capital Markets Authority governance regulations
- • Boursa Kuwait listing requirements
🇶🇦QATAR
- • Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) corporate governance code
- • Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) listing standards
🇧🇭BAHRAIN
- • Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) governance principles
- • Bahrain Bourse listing requirements
🇴🇲OMAN
- • Capital Market Authority governance code
- • Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) listing rules
We map your governance against applicable requirements and identify any gaps that could affect listing status, regulatory compliance, or investor confidence.
What You Get
Comprehensive Diagnostic Deliverables (Arabic + English):
- ISO 37000 Governance Excellence Map — Visual assessment across all governance principles with performance ratings
- Regulatory Compliance Matrix — Coverage of CMA and applicable stock exchange requirements with status indicators
- Maturity Assessment Dashboard — Your board's performance across strategy, oversight, risk management, and accountability
- Board Effectiveness Profile — Analysis of decision quality, committee performance, and strategic alignment
- International Peer Benchmark — Comparison to governance best practices in leading regional and global organizations
- Enhancement Roadmap — Prioritized recommendations for reaching world-class performance with quick wins and strategic initiatives
- Board Excellence Report — Comprehensive five-page assessment with current state, target state, and implementation pathway
- Executive Briefing Session — Private presentation to Chair/CEO with strategic discussion
- Optional Board Workshop — Facilitated session to review findings and build consensus on enhancement priorities
Our Structured Process
We follow a proven six-phase approach over 2-3 weeks:
Preparation & Alignment (Days 1-2)
• Confidential briefing with Chair and/or CEO
• Request governance documents: charters, board packs, committee reports, policies, strategy documents
• Identify applicable regulatory requirements (CMA, relevant stock exchange)
• Establish assessment scope and stakeholder participants
Standards & Regulatory Mapping (Days 3-4)
• Map current governance against ISO 37000 principles
• Assess compliance with CMA and stock exchange requirements
• Score maturity across governance effectiveness dimensions
• Identify enhancement opportunities and priorities
Stakeholder Consultations (Days 5-8)
• Confidential individual conversations with Chair, CEO, Committee Chairs, Board Secretary, and selected board members
• Explore governance practices, decision effectiveness, and strategic alignment
• Conducted in Arabic or English based on participant preference
• Cultural sensitivity and confidentiality maintained throughout
Performance Analysis (Days 9-11)
• Synthesize findings from documents and stakeholder consultations
• Benchmark against international peer practices
• Develop prioritized enhancement recommendations
• Identify quick wins and strategic improvement opportunities
Report Development (Days 12-14)
• Draft comprehensive diagnostic report with assessment dashboards
• Develop enhancement roadmap with implementation priorities
• Internal quality review by standards experts
• Finalize bilingual deliverables (Arabic and English)
Executive Delivery & Strategic Discussion (Days 15-16)
• Private presentation to leadership team
• Strategic discussion of findings and recommendations
• Q&A and pathway planning
• Optional full board workshop to review assessment and build enhancement commitment
Your Expert Advisory Team
Bashar Kayyali
Founder & Strategic Lead
Saudi board member and investment advisor with 30 years of experience serving boards across the Kingdom's financial services, family business, and corporate sectors. Former senior banker, private equity advisor, and audit committee chair. Deep expertise in CMA requirements, Tadawul listing standards, and Saudi corporate governance practices. Founder of Paramount Value Consulting.
Dr. Axel Kravatzky
Managing Partner, International Governance Standards Authority
Vice-Chair of ISO/TC309 (Governance of Organizations) and co-author of ISO 37000. One of the world's leading authorities on principles-based governance with 25 years of systemic governance advisory work spanning emerging and developed markets. Expert in ISO 37000 design, governance effectiveness assessment, and board development.
Tarek Kotb
Governance Strategy & Stakeholder Excellence Specialist
Senior advisor with 25+ years of experience bridging structural governance and human behavior. LSE graduate and former Country Director for the World Bank and Near East Foundation. Accredited practitioner of experiential learning and Insights Discovery psychometrics. Expert in executive leadership, board dynamics, cultural transformation, and stakeholder engagement.
Who This Assessment Serves
Pre-IPO Companies
Validate your governance readiness before listing. Ensure your board meets CMA requirements and stock exchange standards. Demonstrate governance quality to potential investors and underwriters.
Listed Companies
Benchmark your board against ISO 37000 and international peer excellence. Identify opportunities to elevate governance performance. Strengthen investor confidence through demonstrated governance quality.
Companies Considering Cross-Border Listing
Assess readiness for multiple stock exchange requirements. Ensure your governance meets standards across Saudi, UAE, or other GCC markets.
Family-Owned Businesses Professionalizing Governance
Transition from family management to institutional-grade governance. Build board capabilities that attract external investors while preserving family values and long-term vision.
Organizations Pursuing Strategic Transformation
Ensure your board has the capabilities needed for major growth initiatives, diversification, or Vision 2030 alignment. Upgrade governance to match strategic ambition.
Boards Committed to Excellence
Demonstrate governance leadership within your sector. Achieve competitive advantage through superior board effectiveness and regulatory compliance.
Confidentiality & Cultural Sensitivity
We ensure complete discretion. All stakeholder consultations are confidential. Individual perspectives are synthesized and never attributed in reports. We respect family business dynamics, cultural norms, and the sensitive nature of board relationships throughout the engagement.
This is a developmental assessment focused on achieving excellence, not finding fault. Our goal is to help your board reach its highest potential while respecting your organization's unique context, culture, and values. We deliver findings with cultural awareness, strategic insight, and actionable solutions.
Timeline & Investment
Duration
2-3 weeks from kickoff to final executive presentation
Client Time Requirement
Approximately 8-12 hours total (document provision, stakeholder consultations, briefing sessions)
Investment
Contact us for customized proposal based on board size, regulatory scope, and organizational complexity
Standards & Regulatory Framework
This diagnostic follows ISO 37000 (Governance of Organizations) principles and incorporates ISO 37011 (Purpose Governance) assessment criteria. We evaluate regulatory compliance against applicable CMA requirements and stock exchange listing rules. Our maturity assessment framework reflects 25 years of systemic governance advisory experience across emerging and developed markets.
As co-authors of the ISO 37000 series, we assess your board using the same principles we helped establish for international governance excellence. Every recommendation aligns with Vision 2030's emphasis on transparency, accountability, and sustainable value creation.
Your diagnostic report is assurance-ready, meaning it can support board self-evaluations, annual governance reporting, investor communications, regulatory submissions, or IPO documentation. All findings are documented to audit standards with clear evidence basis and improvement pathways.
What Makes This Assessment Different
Standards Co-Authors, Not Interpreters
We didn't study ISO 37000—we wrote it. Your board is assessed by the people who defined international governance excellence, ensuring the most authoritative evaluation possible.
Regional Regulatory Expertise
Led by Saudi board members with deep knowledge of CMA requirements, Tadawul listing standards, and GCC capital market regulations. We understand what regional regulators and stock exchanges actually require.
Excellence-Focused, Not Problem-Focused
We measure your governance against the highest standards and show you how to reach them. This is about achieving leadership performance, not just fixing problems.
International Peer Benchmarking
Compare your board's effectiveness against best practices from leading organizations in the GCC and globally. See where you stand relative to governance leaders in your sector.
Assurance-Ready Documentation
Every deliverable meets audit and regulatory reporting standards. Use our assessment to support governance disclosures, investor presentations, or listing applications.
Actionable Enhancement Roadmap
We prioritize recommendations based on impact, feasibility, and regulatory importance. Quick wins build momentum while strategic initiatives drive long-term excellence.
Culturally Grounded
Delivered in Arabic and English by professionals who understand GCC business culture, family enterprise dynamics, and regional governance expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Achieve Governance Excellence?
Schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your board's goals and regulatory context. We'll explain how the assessment works and customize the scope to your specific needs—whether single exchange compliance or multi-market readiness.
Three Simple Steps:
Connect
Book a 30-minute confidential conversation with Bashar Kayyali
Discuss
Share your board's context, regulatory requirements, and excellence goals
Receive
Get a customized proposal within 48 hours