Expanding in Asia: what should your next independent director bring?

What the research tells us

The APAC Governance Outlook 2026, produced by the Diligent Institute with the Singapore Institute of Directors and the Governance Institute of Australia, offers some useful context. Its published Asian findings show that 72% of respondents wanted more time for strategic planning, while 53% wanted greater access to external experts. The research was conducted in 2025.

These findings suggest that respondents see value in spending more time on strategy and drawing on experience beyond the existing boardroom. For a company considering regional expansion, the question is where that outside perspective could make a difference.

DirectorSphere’s proprietary market intelligence informs our thinking about board and advisory needs, including succession, committee expertise, board effectiveness and preparation for investment. We consider these areas in the context of the decisions a company faces and the experience it already has.

For an expanding business, that starts with understanding how growth will change what is required of its board.

Be specific about relevant experience

‘Asia experience’ is a starting point but it tells a company relatively little on its own.

Leading an established regional subsidiary is different from building a business in a new country. Selling into a market brings a different perspective from running local operations, managing a joint venture or integrating an acquisition.

When assessing a prospective director, a company should explore what that person actually did, which decisions they were responsible for and how they responded when things went wrong.

Take a business entering a market through a distribution partner. A director with relevant experience could help the board assess the partner’s customer relationships, the commercial incentives on both sides and the quality of the information management will receive.

For a company planning an acquisition, the greater need may be someone who can question the integration plan, assess the strength of the management team and recognise the likely demands on working capital.

These situations call for different experience. A well-defined brief helps a company look beyond impressive job titles and assess what a candidate could bring to the business.

Test the growth plan

An expansion proposal may contain an attractive revenue forecast while leaving some fundamental questions unanswered.

How much capital will the business need before the new operation can support itself? What happens if winning customers takes longer than expected? Which decisions should remain with headquarters and which need to be made locally? How will the board know whether the plan is working?

An independent director with relevant operating and financial experience can help management work through these questions before the company makes commitments that are difficult to reverse. Doing so requires both an understanding of the business and the willingness to question its assumptions.

PwC’s 2026 Annual Corporate Directors Survey, published in September, found that 81% of respondents believed their boards could challenge management more effectively on corporate strategy. The survey covered US public-company directors, so its findings should be read in that context. Even so, it poses a useful question for boards elsewhere: will the next appointment improve how the board examines strategy?

The appointment brief should explain where stronger scrutiny is needed and what experience would help.

Consider what growth will demand of the organisation

Regional expansion puts pressure on people as well as finances.

A founder may need to delegate decisions they have always made themselves. A leadership team may have to adapt to different working practices and expectations. An acquisition may bring together businesses with very different approaches to accountability and performance.

Experience in leadership succession, organisational change and remuneration can be valuable in these circumstances, particularly where the growth plan depends on a management team that still needs to be developed.

Operational experience also matters. Entering new countries, adding suppliers or making new delivery commitments can stretch a business in ways that are easy to underestimate. The board needs to understand whether the organisation can deliver what the growth plan promises.

The right director may bring experience in several of these areas. What matters is how it complements the knowledge and judgement already around the table.

Look beyond the familiar names

Existing professional networks can provide good introductions. Broadening the search allows a company to compare familiar candidates with people it might otherwise overlook.

Working relationships matter, of course. Directors need to listen, exercise judgement and work well with their fellow board members. But a comfortable working relationship should leave room for disagreement.

In PwC’s 2026 survey, 81% of respondents considered alignment with the board’s culture and working practices very important when assessing new directors, compared with 27% who placed the same importance on specialist expertise.

For companies making an appointment, this is a reason to be clear about both requirements: the experience a candidate must bring and how they will contribute to the board’s discussions.

Candidates have a part to play here too. ‘I have worked across Asia’ becomes more useful when supported by examples of markets entered, businesses overseen, difficult decisions made and lessons learnt. Those details help a company judge whether the experience is relevant to its own plans.

Choose the right kind of appointment

A company should also establish whether it needs an ongoing board appointment or advice on a defined issue.

A specific requirement for help with market entry may suit an adviser. A continuing need for independent scrutiny of strategy, performance and risk may call for a non-executive director.

In either case, the brief should set out the scope of the role, the information the person will need and the time they will be expected to commit.

That clarity helps experienced executives and established directors assess whether an appointment is right for them. Someone who is not actively looking for a role may still be interested in a business whose needs closely match their experience.

DirectorSphere helps companies broaden their search for non-executive directors and advisers across Asia-Pacific. It also gives experienced professionals a way to be considered for appointments where their knowledge and judgement could be valuable.

For a business planning regional growth, a useful place to begin is: what experience would help us make better decisions about the expansion?

Explore DirectorSphere to learn more about the founding register of directors and advisers.