Mark Russell, Freelance Writer

Arnold Andrews MInstD

Arnold Andrews MInstD operates on both sides of the governance-management divide, a dual vantage point that has given him sharp insight into what strengthens or fractures the chair-CEO relationship.

His philosophy is anchored in clarity, courage and care. Whether navigating the political tensions of local government or supporting volunteer-led not-for-profits through financial and capability constraints, the principles remain consistent: define roles clearly, communicate openly, address issues early and invest in relationships that build durable trust.

For boards seeking resilient chair-CEO partnerships, Andrews’ message is straightforward: technical competence matters, but the quality of the relationship – trust, transparency and mutual respect – ultimately determines organisational performance.

Andrews has just begun a new role as Governance Manager at Ruapehu District Council, following several years as Senior Governance Advisor at Nelson City Council. He also chairs Brain Injury Waikato, Brain Injury Top of the South and the Young Workers Resource Centre, and sits on the National Council of New Zealand Red Cross.

Shared clarity and boundaries

When asked what distinguishes strong chair-CEO partnerships from those that merely get by, Andrews’ answer is immediate: shared clarity.

“Understanding roles and boundaries – especially that fine line between operations and governance – is critical. I’ve seen too much overreach in not-for-profits and even in councils. Clarity helps the board focus on strategic matters, not operational detail.”

That clarity must be explicit. Job descriptions, constitutions, delegated authorities and reporting frameworks should clearly state where CEO autonomy ends and where board oversight begins.

Andrews argues that clarity is strongest when chairs focus on outcomes rather than directing how the CEO delivers them.

Courage, not confrontation, sits at the heart of early intervention, he says, noting that New Zealanders avoid “hassling” others even when they should. The result is avoidable crises.

He recalls receiving a November call from a not-for-profit CEO who had overlooked a significant PAYE liability. Projections had shown the organisation was stable for three months. Suddenly it had funds for only two weeks of wages heading into the December shutdown.

“That scramble was entirely avoidable,” he says. “Had I known earlier, we could have made decisions without panic. Asking for help isn’t weakness – it takes courage.”

Since then, Andrews insists on difficult conversations months in advance. “Hard conversations give both sides time to plan rather than react.”

Communication without secrets

Transparency is the spine of high-trust governance. “Don’t keep secrets,” Andrews says. When a mayor senses councillors may push back on an issue, he relays that to the CEO days before the meeting. “A heads-up gives them time to prepare so they’re not embarrassed in a livestreamed council meeting.”

Andrews brings the same discipline to his own chair roles. He meets CEOs fortnightly, often a few days before board meetings, and plays devil’s advocate.

“I tell them: prepare for questions, especially financial ones. If no one else asks, I will. Not to catch them out – to make sure they’re ready.”

He also stresses the value of reflective listening – simply restating what has been heard to confirm alignment and avoid misunderstanding, particularly in high-pressure environments.

Warning signs of a drifting relationship are the mirror image of good practice: information arriving too late, a shift to reactive rather than proactive communication, or a noticeable pulling back in openness and engagement. “When you stop having those heads-up conversations and everything becomes reactive, something’s not working.”

Across both local government and the not-for-profit sector, Andrews has seen that technical competence alone cannot sustain performance. “People forget the importance of relational governance,” he says.

He has watched chairs and CEOs share a quiet drink at 5pm after exhausting multi-day hearings or long-term plan workshops. He has seen relationships strengthened through simple things – water-cooler conversations, sharing a biscuit, or the moment he and a councillor discovered they were coincidentally wearing the same shirt and took a photo together.

“These micro-moments build goodwill,” he says. “They give you the benefit of the doubt when you offer advice people may not want to hear. Without that relational capital, they dig in. With it, they listen.”

Cultural competence

Growing up across India in a Defence Forces family and spending a decade in New Zealand, Andrews has acute awareness of cultural dynamics and how they influence governance relationships.

He uses the lens of high-context versus low-context cultures – a concept from his master’s studies. Many Asian cultures place weight on indirect communication and hierarchy, while countries such as New Zealand, Australia and the United States are low-context, where people say what they mean directly.

Understanding this difference transforms chair-CEO dynamics. Andrews shares the example of a Chinese treasurer on one of his boards who immigrated to New Zealand later in life.

“She wouldn’t express her opinions in meetings because I was chairing. She felt her role limited her contribution. I spent an entire year prompting her – every meeting I’d ask, ‘What do you think?’.” By the second year she was a confident contributor.

Round-table meetings emphasise equal voice, not hierarchy. “The board culture has to signal that opinions are welcome regardless of background.”

While the political dynamics of local government differ from volunteer-led not-for-profits, Andrews sees shared themes. Both require capability building, openness to learning and strong relational foundations.

He notes governance staff in councils act as the bridge between elected members and the organisation – ensuring councillors have what they need to succeed, even when their experience varies widely.

Advice for emerging chairs

Andrews offers three qualities for new chairs: “Be intentional. Be strategic. Be compassionate.”

These qualities, he says, create not only a strong chair-CEO partnership but also an organisational culture that reinforces those behaviours. “Staff watch what the top levels are doing. If they see intentionality and compassion, that culture flows through the organisation.”

He reflects on his own evolution. “I used to be very process-oriented. Now I’m more relationship-oriented, but still intentional. It has made me far more helpful.”

In an age where process tasks are increasingly automated, he believes human leadership matters more than ever. “AI can handle the process stuff. But the relationship, the compassion – that’s what we can do really well.”