Certified Board Secretary Programme - Shareholders & Other Stakeholders

Saudi Nationals who complete the full certification programme and become Certified Board Secretaries can apply for a partial refund from HRDF up to a value of SAR 5,400. Terms and Conditions apply. Click here​ for more information.

Our Certified Board Secretary Programme is being run in collaboration with the Financial Academy who are the Awarding Body.

Module 3: Certified Board Secretary Programme – Shareholders and Other Stakeholders

Workshop Details:

Date: 25-28 August 2025

Time: 8:30am - 5:30pm (KSA Time)

9:30am -6:30pm (UAE Time)

Format: Classroom workshop

Venue: The New Financial Academy Headquarters,

King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD)

Riyadh 13003, Saudi Arabia. For directions click here​.

The venue is accessible through District Gate No. 2, and you can find it by heading to Building No. 2.07 C.

Free parking at the academy building on floors B2-B3.

Overview

Board secretaries have an important role to play as governance professionals in all types of organisations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. Governance is more than just complying with laws, regulations, standards, and codes; it is also about creating cultures of good practice. This means that board secretaries need more than the technical skills and experience to know what corporate governance practices are needed in an organisation and why.

They also need the emotional intelligence, skills and experience to ensure that they know how the practices typically would be implemented to work effectively. The modern board secretary provides professional guidance to shareholders, boards, individual directors, management, and other stakeholders on the governance aspects of strategic decisions.

Course Outline

Shareholders, Share Registration and Dividends

- Describe the different types of shares and shareholders and their relationship with the board secretary

- Identify the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of shareholders

- Explain issues of shareholder abuse

- Describe secure methods of ownership, transfer and registration for shares

- Describe different methods of paying dividends

Annual Shareholder Meetings

- Describe the role of the board secretary before, during and after the shareholders' meeting

- Identify the procedures that a board secretary uses to manage the board's relationship with shareholders

- Explain how the board secretary can advise the chairman on the potential contentious issues that may influence the relationships between the board and shareholders

The Board Secretary: The Board's Communicator

- Describe best practices to maintain communication with management and shareholders

- Explain the drivers for disclosure and greater transparency

- Analyse the procedures for managing policies related to confidential information

- Explore how organisations can engage with stakeholders

Corporate Finance

- Identify sources of corporate finance and their relative advantages and disadvantages

- Assess the critical issues associated with determining a board's capital gearing, dividend policy, and valuation

- Use various capital investment appraisal techniques

- Identify financial crisis indicators

Who should attend?

• Appointed and aspiring board secretaries, company secretaries and governance professionals.

• Anyone involved in companies law and regulatory compliance.

• Anyone seeking a better understanding of the role of the board secretary who has responsibility for corporate governance practices and interaction with the Board.

Programme fees

Price per person for 4-day workshop:

• Non-member: USD 4,400
• Ordinary: USD 4,180
• Member: USD 3,870
• Fellow: USD 3,340

Rates above are exclusive of VAT and any WHT and effective as at 17 May 2020

Special rates are available for purchasing multiple seats - please ask us for more information.

GCC BDI Certified Board Secretary Programme

This workshop forms part of the GCC BDI certified board secretary programme which GCC BDI has launched for GCC board secretaries. The programme consists of 4 workshops at 6 month intervals. To be certified by GCC BDI, a participant will need to complete all 4 workshops and pass the multiple choice exam at the end of each workshop. Certification is optional - board secretaries can simply attend one or more of the workshops if they don't wish to sit the exam.

The programme

The programme consists of four workshops:

• The Board Secretary Role - Governance and Decision-Making

• The Board Secretaries Role - Board Members

• The Board Secretaries Role - Shareholders and Other Stakeholders

• The Board Secretaries Role - Strategy & Risk

Participants can attend one, two or three workshops or all four, but if they wish to be certified they must attend all four in any order.

Objectives

- This programme will help the board secretary to act as a bridge for information, communication, advice, and arbitration between the board and management and between the organisation and its shareholders and stakeholders. The programme will support the board secretary to fully understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to all stakeholders in the corporate governance system.

- This programme is designed to provide participants with the knowledge, skills and practical tips for carrying out their duties as board secretary.

- The programme will be interactive and skills-based, providing participants with practical examples.

Certification

If a participant wishes to be certified, they must attend all four workshops and pass the multiple choice exam at the end of each workshop.

GCC BDI is pleased to announce the Board Secretary Certification Programme is now recognised by the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Nationals who complete the full certification programme and become Certified Board Secretaries can apply for a partial refund from HRDF up to a value of SAR 5,400. Terms and Conditions apply. Click here ​for more information.

The Human Resources Development Fund is a Saudi governmental authority that was established by a royal decree in July 2000. It falls under the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development. HRDF is mainly concerned with providing financial support to organizations that train and qualify Saudis in the private sector.

The Human Resources Development Fund is a Saudi governmental authority that was established by a royal decree in July 2000. It falls under the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development. HRDF is mainly concerned with providing financial support to organisations that train and qualify Saudis in the private sector.

For more details about the programme itself, please see the brochure here​.