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Fri Dec 04 2026 at 10:00 am to 04:00 pm UTC+00:00

Leading Together: Building an Effective Chair & CEO Partnership

  • Camden Court Hotel · Dublin
Safe to Create \/ Irish Theatre Institute Publisher / Host Safe to Create / Irish Theatre Institute
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Leading Together: Building an Effective Chair & CEO Partnership
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This interactive, tutor-led workshop will explore the dynamic between the CEO/Director/Manager and the Chair of an organisation.
About this Event

Please note that both the CEO/Director/Manager AND the Board Chair of the company/organisation must both be in attendance at the workshop.


Overview

A strong Chair and CEO partnership is central to effective governance and organisational success. This practical and interactive course helps Chairs and CEOs of charities and not-for-profits develop a shared understanding of their respective roles, establish clear boundaries between governance and management, and build a relationship based on trust, communication, constructive challenge and accountability.  


Who it's for

This workshop is suitable for*:

  • Chairs and board members
  • CEOs, Directors and Managers
  • Senior leaders working with boards in charities and non-profit organisations
    *Please note that both the CEO/Director/Manager AND the Board Chair of the company/organisation must both be in attendance at the workshop.  

The fundamentals of governance will NOT be covered in this training, so CEOs and Chairs will need to have a good understanding of the fundamentals of governance prior to attending the session (through their own learning or attending a general governance training). 


Why it matters

The relationship between a Chair and CEO has a significant influence on how effectively a charity is governed and led. When roles are clear and the relationship is built on trust, openness and constructive challenge, boards and CEOs are better placed to make good decisions, navigate challenges and stay focused on the organisation’s purpose. Strengthening this partnership can lead to more effective governance, stronger leadership and greater impact for the people and communities the charity serves. 


What participants will learn


Through practical exercises, peer discussion and Chair/CEO activities, participants will identify ways to strengthen their partnership, improve board effectiveness, and ultimately increase their charity’s impact.   

Agenda:  

  • Defining the Role of the Chair & CEO  
  • Delineation of Governance and Management duties  
  • Aligning board meetings with strategy implementation  
  • Developing committees and working groups  
  • The CEO & Chair relationship  
  • CEO appraisal process  
  • Induction for CEOs  
  • CEO & Chair’s role in recruiting and inducting new trustees  

What to expect

By the end of the training, Chair and CEO pairs will be able to:    

  • Clearly distinguish governance from management.    
  • Understand where their respective responsibilities begin and end.    
  • Build an effective partnership based on trust, challenge and accountability.    
  • Improve board effectiveness through better agendas, papers and meetings.    
  • Navigate difficult situations confidently.    
  • Create practical actions to strengthen governance in their own charity.  

Delivered by: Boardmatch for Safe to Create
Facilitator: Gráinne Madden



KEY DETAILS

Date: Fri 4 December, 10am - 4pm
There will be a lunch break during this training (lunch will not be provided).
Tea/coffee will be provided.

Cost: €50 per person


HOW TO APPLY

To secure a place, please apply for this workshop via our .

You will be asked to briefly outline your professional industry experience and why you would find this training session beneficial, in order to confirm your suitability for this workshop.

The CEO/Director/Manager and Board Chair should make separate applications, outlining clearly which organisation they are representing.

Please note that both the CEO/Director/Manager AND the Board Chair of the company/organisation must both be in attendance at the workshop.



TRAVEL / ACCOMMODATION BURSARIES

Safe to Create is delighted to offer a limited number of travel and/or accommodation bursaries to participants based outside the host city as necessary. Applicants must be resident on the island of Ireland. Please outline your request for a travel/accommodation bursary on our .



ACCESS

Safe to Create is delighted to cover any necessary access costs to support attendance and full participation in the workshop. Please outline your request in our Access Requests Form. Alternatively, please email: [email protected] or call 01 6704906.



BEFORE YOU FINISH!

As part of the workshop booking process, we will ask you 5 questions about your role, your sector and where you are based. This ensures that we are reaching individuals in the arts and creative sectors and helps further tailor our workshops to who’s in the room.

We kindly ask that you take a moment to complete the questions.

We’re proud to offer the Safe to Create suite of training workshops at little or no cost to attendees. However, these sessions do require significant resources to run, so we sincerely appreciate your commitment to attending once a place has been reserved for you. If you are unable to attend a training workshop you have signed up for, please notify us as soon as you can so we can offer the place to the waitlist.


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Camden Court Hotel, Camden Street Lower, Dublin, Ireland

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