The Institute of Directors and the Icehouse have teamed up for a workshop series designed to boost the standard of governance among Kiwi SMEs.

The Undressing Governance programme kicks off in Pukekohe, South Auckland on 4 June and tours Hawkes Bay, Hamilton, Wellington and Nelson before finishing in Dunedin on 11 September.

The programme is part of the Icehouse Roadshow, which offers 20 events in 11 locations this year.

“Our goal is to lift the competitiveness of the New Zealand SME sector, leading to a material impact on the economic performance of the country,” says Icehouse CEO Andy Hamilton.

The two organisations are offering the workshops because finding a wise independent advisor is easier said than done, Hamilton says.

Chief executive of the Institute of Directors, Dr William Whittaker, says a business has to know where they want to be and how they’re going to get there.

“Jointly IoD and The Icehouse think there is a great opportunity to assist Kiwi business owners with better governance to grow their businesses.”

Icehouse co-founder and former Heinz Wattie’s CEO David Irving will teach on the benefits of having an outside adviser for your business. “Often the best forum for this advice is a boardroom. Being inside the tent at close quarters with the owner manager creates a strong sense of obligation and at best trust,” says Irving.

Subsequent workshops will be hosted by Simon Telfer (Appoint Better Boards), Brent Wheeler (The Boardroom Practice ) and Wayne Norrie (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise). They will teach on how to find the right advisors and how to structure a business arrangement with an advisor.