Corporate governance convention on cards

public, private and State-owned enterprises sectors.
The convention, which takes place from March 7-8, will tackle a number of pertinent corporate governance issues relating to boards in the three different sectors.
It will also provide delegates with an opportunity to comment on and contribute to a new corporate governance code for Zimbabwe.
Although corporate governance principles are the same for all sectors, there may be differences in the challenges faced in implementing them in the private, public and State-owned enterprise sectors, institute chief executive Mr Farai Musamba said.
For this reason the convention programme has been designed to look at corporate governance issues in each sector, he said.
Corporate governance issues in the public sector will be handled by the Comptroller and Auditor-General, Mrs Mildred Chiri.
Industrial Development Corporation financial controller Mr Peter Madara will deal with challenges and perceptions in State-owned enterprises.
The Securities Exchange Commission chairperson, Mrs Willia Bonyongwe, will look at corporate governance in quoted companies.
Other topics included in the programme are shareholder activism, which will be dealt with by Deposit Protection Board chief executive Mr John Chikura and the board and corporate strategy, which will be handled by Management Solutions managing director Mr Luxon Zembe.
Others include risk management, which will be addressed by Xenia Business Services managing consultant Mr William Mafi.
The discussion on the drafting of a new corporate governance code for Zimbabwe is expected to be lively and interactive, as it will deal with the progress made in drafting the corporate governance code which is now in its final stage. 
Mrs Eve Gadzikwa, who is the Standards Association of Zimbabwe chief executive and also the deputy chairperson of the Corporate Governance Code Drafting Steering Committee, will lead this discussion. 
Delegates will have the opportunity to comment on the draft code and provide some input on it before the drafting is finalised. 
Depending on the final programme, there is likely to be room for one or two additional topics.
Commenting on the topics and array of speakers assembled for the convention, Mr Musamba said the convention was intended to bring to the fore corporate governance issues that were particularly pertinent in the country’s present business environment and have them handled by experts in particular areas of interest.
He expressed hope that by tackling corporate governance issues in this way, delegates would have something to take back to their organisations for immediate implementation. 
“This will no doubt improve governance in the private and public sectors,” he said, adding that the institute appreciated that the wide array of topics and issues that affect corporate governance could not be covered in one convention. 
Those not covered at this                  convention would be tackled in future conventions and seminars.
“The institute believes that the convention will benefit many board members and senior management teams in all organisations.
“In order to retain corporate governance at the fore of the country’s businesses operations, the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Zimbabwe will make this a regular event and will continue to interact with stakeholders,” he said.