When I sat down with Andy Lyon , former PwC Audit Partner in the Midlands at our latest GRG Executive Search Women in Leadership event, it was immediately clear that his first Non-Executive Director (NED) appointment was not accidental or rushed. It was an intentional step, rooted in a strong understanding of what he could offer a board.
As an Executive Search Partner at GRG Executive Search specialising in senior and board‑level appointments, I regularly meet with executives who are exploring their next career chapter. What differentiated Andy was the deliberate and structured way he approached his search for his first NED role.
Andy retired in 2024 after 25-years advising retail, consumer, and hospitality businesses. He told me that his first priority was a genuine pause to reconnect with family, rediscover hobbies and decompress after decades of high‑pressure leadership. Many executives underestimate the importance of this step. That period of rest gave him the space to think clearly about what he wanted next, and of course, just as important, what he didn’t.
Talking about the question of timing, Andy framed readiness around two simple but powerful considerations. First, whether he had something meaningful to give. He was adamant that readiness isn’t about age; it’s about experience. At some point, you realise you have accumulated enough judgement and perspective to support and challenge an executive team. Second, whether he had the time. Many organisations encourage NED roles alongside full-time, executive roles, but Andy knew he needed to step away completely before he could focus on this next chapter clearly. This is very much personal to the individual and there is no right or wrong answer, however, it’s definitely a consideration for anyone aspiring to become an NED.
Andy’s incentive for securing a non‑executive role wasn’t remuneration, and he was clear that a NED role isn’t a replacement for an executive salary - those who pursue it for financial reasons often end up disappointed. For Andy, it was about enjoyment, intellectual stimulation, and the satisfaction of contributing to an organisation he cared about. That authenticity matters. Boards can sense when a candidate is motivated by genuine interest rather than necessity.
We also spoke about how he secured his first NED role with Frasers Group plc. Andy’s decades of technical expertise and experience was a strong foundation, but it was his relationships that also opened this door. This reflects what I see every day in executive search: expertise matters, but relationships often make the difference. Boards appoint people whose judgement they can trust, not just those with impressive credentials.
Andy’s experience of rewriting his CV was interesting to hear about. After forty years in the same organisation, he had written countless documents for client proposals, but writing a CV for a new role was entirely different. His first draft was, in his words, “shredded” - not because it wasn’t impressive, but because it wasn’t relevant.
In brief, your Non-Executive CV should be shorter, and different, to your Executive CV. It should be 1-2 pages maximum. I personally always recommend creating a whole new document.
Andy shared to focus on specific experience for the board position you want and highlight governance experience, committee work, trustee roles, risk oversight, and independent challenge. If you struggle to fill those sections, it’s a sign you may need to build experience through charitable work, professional bodies, or advisory committees.
I admire Andy’s discipline in choosing the right NED role for him. He was offered several opportunities early on, but they were not in industries he knew or felt passionate about. It takes courage to turn down a board role. The temptation can be to accept the first offer out of fear that another won’t come along. Andy waited. He wanted an NED opportunity that would allow him to contribute meaningfully, that he would enjoy and aligned with his strengths.
