InvestingDirectors guides https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides Guides on UK board appointments: governance, board building, pay and equity. en-gb Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT When should a startup appoint an independent director? https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/when-to-appoint-first-independent-director https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/when-to-appoint-first-independent-director The trigger is not a stage, it is a board composition. If your board is founders and investors with nobody independent, you are already late. board-building Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT What investors look for in a board before a Series A https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/what-investors-look-for-in-a-board-before-series-a https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/what-investors-look-for-in-a-board-before-series-a Independence, a functioning cadence, and someone who could chair audit. Composition is a diligence item, and it takes a quarter to fix. board-building Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT What does a non-executive director cost in the UK? https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/what-does-a-non-executive-director-cost-uk https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/what-does-a-non-executive-director-cost-uk Fees, equity and time commitment, using published UK benchmarks: £80,888 across the FTSE 150 and £41,686 across private companies. pay-and-equity Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT What does a non-executive director do at a startup? https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/what-a-non-executive-director-does-at-seed https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/what-a-non-executive-director-does-at-seed Four jobs: hold the chief executive to account, bring pattern recognition, open doors, and turn the board into a decision-making body. board-building Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT SEIS and EIS when you invest and join the board https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/seis-eis-for-investing-directors https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/seis-eis-for-investing-directors Paid directors are usually excluded unless the business angel exemption applies. The order of events matters, and so does the 30% rule. pay-and-equity Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT Non-executive director, adviser or fractional executive? https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/non-executive-director-vs-adviser-vs-fractional-executive https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/non-executive-director-vs-adviser-vs-fractional-executive Three different roles, three different levels of duty and cost. The test is whether you need oversight, advice, or someone to do the work. board-building Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT How to run your first board meeting https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/how-to-run-your-first-board-meeting https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/how-to-run-your-first-board-meeting Pack out five working days ahead, three decisions on the agenda, and minutes that record what was decided rather than what was discussed. board-building Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT How to become a non-executive director in the UK https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/how-to-become-a-non-executive-director https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/how-to-become-a-non-executive-director The first appointment is the hard one. What to expect on fees, how roles are actually filled, and the four routes that work. getting-started Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT How much do non-executive directors get paid in the UK? https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/how-much-do-non-executive-directors-get-paid https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/how-much-do-non-executive-directors-get-paid Fee benchmarks by company type, why non-executive pay has fallen 11.8% behind inflation, and why equity is the half most directors never negotiate. pay-and-equity Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT D&O insurance for non-executive directors: what to check https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/d-and-o-insurance-for-non-executive-directors https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/d-and-o-insurance-for-non-executive-directors Nine checks before you accept a board seat, including whether the policy survives insolvency and whether there is a separate non-executive limit. governance Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT Should a non-executive director invest in the company? https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/can-a-non-executive-director-invest https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/can-a-non-executive-director-invest How a director invests in their own board's company without creating a governance problem, and what has to be declared and recorded. governance Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT Advisory shares: vesting, cliffs and what to negotiate https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/advisory-shares-explained https://www.investingdirectors.com/guides/advisory-shares-explained Carta puts the median pre-seed adviser grant at 0.21%, not the 1% most guides quote. What UK advisers should check before signing. pay-and-equity Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT