Where the world's governance leaders connect, develop and lead.
The professional home for board chairs, non-executive directors, NRC leaders and governance professionals. A curated global community that combines peer networking, structured governance education, board career support and the thought leadership that keeps you ahead of every boardroom challenge.
Our members serve as executives and directors at
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The demands on board directors, committee chairs and governance professionals are expanding faster than any individual's informal learning can accommodate. Yet most directors navigate these challenges without a structured peer network, without ongoing professional development, and without access to the governance intelligence that would make their oversight more effective.
The Global Chairs & Board Directors Network exists to solve this problem. Not with another directory or another newsletter, but with a living governance community designed by practitioners who understand what board leaders actually need: trusted peers, relevant education, career support, and the recognition their governance leadership deserves.
Led by Wassim Karkabi, board governance advisor, NRC Chair and senior headhunter with over twenty years at the intersection of executive search and board governance. Every programme reflects what directors actually need in the boardroom.
No other director network is anchored by a proprietary governance framework. The Five Pillars (Nomination, Remuneration, Succession, Evaluation, Development) give members a shared language for every governance challenge.
From aspiring directors at Standard to board chairs at Executive to governance teams at Corporate. As your responsibilities grow, your membership grows with you, with benefits calibrated to seniority.
Board role listings for every member, CV and LinkedIn reviews, interview preparation, advisory coaching, guaranteed features on Executive-Moves.com, concierge introductions and dedicated relationship managers.
Preferential access to GBI's education portfolio with 10% to 20% off every programme, and the $1,550 GMBR Masterclass included free from Premium upward.
Every tier is built so that the benefits you receive are worth more than three times what you pay. Premium delivers $12,195 of value for $2,295. Executive delivers $27,900 for $3,995.
All memberships are billed annually. Upgrade at any time and pay only the prorated difference.
Aspiring and early-career directors
$995
per year
Practising NEDs and experienced directors
$2,295
per year
Everything in Standard, plus:
Chairs, senior NEDs and C-suite
$3,995
per year
Everything in Premium, plus:
Boards and governance teams
$9,995
per year, 5 seats
Premium benefits for all 5 members, plus:
Executive tier applications are reviewed for seniority. Multi-year and group pricing available on request. See the full benefit comparison.
| Benefit | Standard$995 per year | Premium$2,295 per year | Executive$3,995 per year | Corporate$9,995 per year, 5 seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Network & Community | ||||
| Global Directors Network Portal Access | ||||
| Board role listings | ||||
| At Cost Quarterly Directors Exchange | ||||
| Concierge & 1-on-1 introductions | ||||
| Dedicated relationship manager | ||||
| Education & Content | ||||
| Course & programme discount | 10% | 15% | 20% | 20% |
| Governance insights newsletter | Weekly | Weekly | Weekly | Weekly |
| Webinars & on-demand library | ||||
| GMBR Masterclass (worth $1,550) | ||||
| Monthly Governance & Board Briefing | ||||
| Board Case Studies Library | ||||
| Board Resources Library | ||||
| Co-branded thought leadership | ||||
| Events & Visibility | ||||
| Annual Global Board Summit | 10% off | 15% off | Free pass | 5 VIP passes, 20% off |
| Speaker & panellist opportunities | ||||
| Interview on Executive-Moves.com | 1 per year | 1 per year | 1 per member | |
| Cover Story on Executive-Moves.com | 1 per year | 1 per account | ||
| Advisory & Career | ||||
| Advisory / coaching sessions | 1 per year | 2 per year | 4 per year | 2 per member |
| Board CV review | ||||
| LinkedIn Profile Review Report & Recommendations | ||||
| Interview preparation | 1 per year | 1 per year | 1 per member | |
| AI Shadow Board access (from November 2026) | ||||
| Annual Governance Health-Check Survey | ||||
| Total value delivered | $3,180 | $12,195 | $27,900 | $81,300 |
| Your annual fee | $995 | $2,295 | $3,995 | $9,995 |
| You save | $2,185 | $9,900 | $23,905 | $71,305 |
Corporate's Cover Story is one per account, reserved for the Chairman of the Board or the company itself. Swipe sideways to see every tier on a phone.
Four benefit categories, each with access calibrated to your tier.
A private digital platform to search the member directory by seniority, industry, geography, governance domain and committee role, and connect with governance leaders across 60+ countries.
All tiersNED opportunities, advisory board positions and committee roles, open to every member at every tier.
Browse board roles →All tiersA quarterly in-person gathering where members meet peers and build trusted relationships, offered at cost. Chapters in Dubai, Riyadh and London, and expanding.
All tiersHuman-facilitated introductions to the right peers and decision-makers, not algorithms.
Executive & CorporateA single point of contact who manages your team's membership, introductions and benefits across all five seats.
CorporateBuild Your Board Director Brand & Get More Board Roles. Our $1,550 self-study masterclass on the Six-Step Strategy that renowned NEDs use to win board seats, included free.
About the masterclass →Premium, Executive & CorporateA monthly briefing on the regulatory developments, board trends and governance issues directors need to know.
Premium, Executive & CorporateGovernance case studies plus practical tools including the 100 Headhunters List, director bio examples and board operations templates.
Premium, Executive & CorporateFull access to GBI's growing library of governance webinars, expert interviews and on-demand sessions covering ESG, AI governance, NRC practice and more.
All tiersWeekly curated briefings on regulatory developments, board appointment trends and proxy season updates, for every member.
All tiersPreferential pricing on all GBI education programmes. Standard 10%, Premium 15%, Executive 20%, Corporate 20% for all five seats.
All tiersCo-produce one governance content asset per year with GBI: a published insight paper, recorded webinar, case study or research report.
CorporateGBI's flagship governance conference for board chairs, directors, institutional investors and governance leaders. Executive members attend free. Standard save 10%, Premium save 15%, and Corporate receives 5 VIP passes at 20% off.
All tiers, free pass at ExecutiveA guaranteed published interview on Executive-Moves.com that puts your board profile in front of an executive audience.
Premium & Executive 1 per year, Corporate 1 per memberA guaranteed cover feature. For Corporate accounts, the Cover Story is reserved for the Chairman of the Board or for the company itself.
Executive 1 per year, Corporate 1 per accountPriority consideration for speaking, panel and moderator roles at GBI events, webinars and the Summit. Build your governance thought-leadership profile.
Executive & CorporateConfidential one-to-one sessions with a senior governance advisor on career strategy, committee effectiveness or any governance challenge.
Standard 1, Premium 2, Executive 4 per year, Corporate 2 per memberYour NED profile professionally reviewed with specific feedback on positioning, credentials and presentation to nominating committees.
All tiersA written review of your LinkedIn profile with recommendations to present a consistent, board-ready narrative.
Premium, Executive & CorporateStructured preparation for board interviews so you walk into the nominations committee ready.
Premium & Executive 1 per year, Corporate 1 per memberAccess to GBI's AI Shadow Board, included for members from its launch in November 2026.
Premium, Executive & CorporateA structured survey of your organisation's governance practices against the Five Pillars and international best practice, with confidential, prioritised recommendations.
Executive & CorporateFrom aspiring directors to entire governance teams.
Building governance knowledge and professional networks for your first board seat.
Start at StandardFirst board seat secured. Accelerate your effectiveness and build your reputation.
Standard or PremiumMultiple boards, structured CPD, peer exchange and career advisory for maximum impact.
PremiumNRC, audit, risk, ESG. Lead the committees that govern the most consequential decisions.
Premium or ExecutiveSet the governance tone at the highest level with a peer community that matches your seniority.
ExecutiveBoards, company secretaries and governance professionals. Invest in the entire team.
CorporatePreparing for the transition from executive leadership to non-executive governance.
Standard to ExecutiveExecutive search professionals and governance advisors serving the board ecosystem.
Standard or Premium“The GCBD Network gave me the peer connections that three years of independent networking could not.”
Senior Non-Executive Director
Financial Services, Dubai · Premium Member
“As an NRC Chair, the concierge introductions at Executive level connected me with exactly the right peers. The conversations have directly improved my committee's practice on succession planning and compensation governance.”
NRC Chair
Listed Company, London · Executive Member
“The annual governance health-check identified three specific improvements to our board evaluation process. We implemented all three within a quarter. The Corporate membership pays for itself in governance quality alone.”
Company Secretary
Energy Sector, Riyadh · Corporate Member
Members receive 10% to 20% off all GBI programmes. Combine your membership with structured education to build the credentials and frameworks that set you apart.
The world's first qualification for the NRC Chair. 13 modules, EQF Level 7, post-nominal PD.NRC (GBI). Built on the Five Pillars of NRC Governance™ framework.
Learn more →DiplomaUniversity credit-rated (EQF Level 7). 10 modules. Practical governance training for board directors.
Learn more →DiplomaComprehensive ESG governance education for directors and sustainability professionals navigating the evolving ESG landscape.
Learn more →CertificateFoundations of AI Governance and Implementing AI Governance in Practice. Prepare your board for the AI oversight challenge.
Learn more →The Global Board Institute is a governance education, advisory and community organisation headquartered in Dubai, serving board directors and governance professionals across the GCC, Europe and internationally.
GBI provides governance education programmes (diplomas, certificates, masterclasses), board advisory services, and the Global Chairs & Board Directors Network. Its education programmes are EQF-aligned and delivered in partnership with leading governance institutions.
The Professional Diploma in NRC Governance™, built on The Gatekeeper's Chair by Wassim Karkabi, is the world's first dedicated NRC Chair qualification.
Everything you need to know about GCBD Network membership.
The GCBD Network is the professional membership community of the Global Board Institute, connecting board chairs, non-executive directors, committee leaders, C-suite executives and governance professionals worldwide. It combines peer networking, structured governance education, board career support and thought leadership across four membership tiers: Standard, Premium, Executive and Corporate.
Standard: $995 per year. Premium: $2,295 per year. Executive: $3,995 per year. Corporate: $9,995 per year for 5 seats. All memberships are billed annually. Multi-year and group pricing is available on request.
We add up what each benefit would cost if you bought it separately, using GBI's own published prices where they exist (for example, the GMBR Masterclass lists at $1,550) and comparable market rates for the rest, such as senior advisory sessions, CV and LinkedIn reviews, and summit passes. On that basis Standard delivers $3,180, Premium $12,195, Executive $27,900 and Corporate $81,300 of value per year. These figures are illustrative of value, not cash equivalents.
The network is open to anyone with a professional interest in board governance. Standard is designed for aspiring and early-career directors, Premium for practising NEDs, Executive for board chairs, committee chairs and senior governance leaders, and Corporate for organisations investing in their entire governance team. Executive tier applications are reviewed for seniority.
The Build Your Board Director Brand & Get More Board Roles Masterclass, worth $1,550, is included free with Premium, Executive and Corporate membership. Standard members receive their 10% programme discount on it.
A proprietary framework created by Wassim Karkabi for the NRC's complete mandate: Nomination, Remuneration, Succession, Evaluation and Development. It is the organising principle for GBI's education programmes and content, and the foundation of the Professional Diploma in NRC Governance™.
The GCBD Network is practitioner-led (not association-governed), framework-anchored (Five Pillars™), globally distributed with regional depth (GCC, Europe, international), and integrated with a complete governance education ecosystem. It offers tiered membership with benefits calibrated to career stage, including board career support that most director associations do not provide at the membership level.
Yes. You can upgrade from Standard to Premium, Executive or Corporate at any time. The price difference is prorated based on your remaining membership period.
We do not offer a free trial. However, you can attend select GBI events and webinars as a non-member to experience the community before joining. If you are not satisfied within 30 days of joining, contact us to discuss your experience.
Click "Apply for Membership" on this page and complete the application form, which takes 5 to 8 minutes. The Membership Committee reviews applications within 2 to 3 working days.
Yes. Many members have their board or employer sponsor their membership as a professional development investment. We can provide an invoice addressed to the sponsoring organisation. Corporate membership is designed specifically for organisations investing in their governance team.
Members span over 60 countries, with particular concentrations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, India, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Singapore, Australia and the United States. Regional chapters are active in Dubai, Riyadh and London, with expansion planned.
Join the Global Chairs & Board Directors Network and connect with the peers, education and career support that keep you ahead of every boardroom challenge.