05 Feb Your first 100 days in a new Corporate Governance or CoSec role

Posted at 12:07h in Corp Gov, Insights by

Whether stepping into a newly created position or inheriting an established function, the early days of a new Corporate Governance and Company Secretarial role are critical. They shape how governance is perceived and determine the credibility you build with stakeholders. They also set the foundations for long-term impact.

Having supported senior governance and CoSec professionals for many years through career moves and leadership transitions, we see a consistent pattern in how successful governance leaders approach their first 100 days. Their focus typically unfolds across three distinct phases:

Phase 1: Listening and learning (Days 1–30)

The first month is about understanding before acting. While the pressure to make immediate changes can be strong, the most effective leaders resist this instinct and prioritise insight and relationships.

Conduct a listening tour

Engage with executives, functional leaders and key stakeholders across the organisation. The objective is not to sell a vision, but to understand priorities as well as pain points and expectations.

Effective listening tours share three characteristics:

  1. Engage broadly – look beyond obvious stakeholders. Valuable insights often come from those closer to day-to-day operations.

  2. Be thoughtful – ask about strategic objectives, constraints and risks. What concerns senior leaders most? Where do they see opportunities?

  3. Be curious – use your new status in the organisation to ask fundamental questions. Fresh perspectives frequently highlight issues that long-tenured teams may overlook.

These conversations will form the backbone of your governance strategy.

Clarify expectations

  • Schedule dedicated time with the CEO and board to align on what success looks like. Clarify priorities, decision rights, reporting expectations and communication cadence. This alignment is essential to avoid mis-steps and ensure your efforts are focused on the outcomes that matter most.
  • Governance cannot operate effectively in isolation. Invest time in understanding the organisation’s commercial model, products, markets and competitive pressures. Identify existing risk exposures, compliance obligations and emerging regulatory challenges that may impact strategy.
  • Take stock of your team, processes and workload. Where are the immediate pressure points? What is working well, and what requires attention? Establishing a clear baseline is critical for prioritisation and measuring progress.

Phase 2: Strategic alignment (Days 31–60)

With a strong understanding of the business and stakeholder landscape, the focus shifts to shaping direction.

Analyse what you’ve heard so far

  • Review insights from your listening tour and assessment. Look for recurring themes, misalignments between expectations and capability, and areas of material risk. Equally, identify opportunities where governance can add greater strategic value.
  • Translate your findings into a structured plan that balances immediate priorities with longer-term objectives. The most effective strategies position governance not as a control mechanism, but as an enabler of sustainable growth and sound decision-making.
  • Share your observations and proposed direction with the executive team. Be open about strengths, gaps and areas requiring change. Clearly articulate how governance will support the organisation’s strategy and risk appetite.
  • Importantly, communicate progress consistently. Tell stakeholders what you have learned, what you intend to do, and when actions are complete. This final step is often overlooked, yet it is critical for visibility and trust.

Phase 3: Execution and early impact (Days 61–100)

The final phase is about delivery, demonstrating value while laying the groundwork for long-term effectiveness.

  • Begin executing key elements of your strategy. This may include improving board processes, strengthening compliance frameworks, enhancing reporting, or addressing specific regulatory or risk issues identified earlier.
  • Identify actions that are visible, meaningful and achievable in the short term. Resolving a long-standing issue, improving turnaround times, or successfully managing a regulatory interaction can build momentum and reinforce confidence in the function.
  • Create regular touchpoints with senior stakeholders to maintain alignment and adapt to changing business conditions. Governance strategies must remain dynamic, responding to both internal developments and external change.

Stepping into a new governance leadership role brings both opportunity and challenge. Marsden’s Corporate Governance team works closely with governance and Company Secretarial professionals as they navigate transitions, offering insights, perspective and support. Contact Rory Kramer-Strong or Emilia Anderson to find out more.