Know who leads: the twelve-dimension standard for senior management due diligence

1. Why résumés are not enough

Every senior appointment is a bet on one person's judgement and integrity. Reference calls arranged by the candidate and a database check confirm what the candidate wants confirmed. They rarely surface undisclosed directorships, settled disputes, an exit that followed an internal inquiry or a lifestyle that does not match declared income.

2. Four questions every review must answer

• Identity and record: is this person who they say they are? Education, roles, directorships and claimed achievements verified at source.
• Integrity: have they acted with integrity? Litigation, regulatory, media and discreet source checks in every jurisdiction they have worked in.
• Capability: can they lead what comes next? Leadership style, delivery record and strategic and financial judgement, tested with people who worked with them.
• Exposure: what else are they tied to? Undisclosed interests, related parties, conflicts and external relationships that could reach the business.

3. Twelve dimensions, three lenses

BDI's framework groups twelve dimensions into three lenses so that findings on different candidates compare like for like. Record & Integrity covers professional background, reputation and integrity, performance history and external relationships. Leadership Capability covers leadership style, financial acumen, industry knowledge and strategic vision. Governance & Fit covers risk management, stakeholder relationships, succession planning and cultural fit.

4. Six intelligence streams

• Identity and credentials
• Corporate and financial footprint
• Litigation and regulatory records
• Media and digital footprint
• Field enquiries
• Discreet source enquiries with former colleagues, reports, partners and peers

5. Ethics of the method

A defensible review is lawful and consent-based where the law requires, never uses pretexting or private bank, phone or email records, treats an opinion as a finding only once a second source confirms it, and labels hearsay as hearsay. The commissioning client is never named to a source.

6. What the report should contain

• An overall risk rating on page one
• A rating for each of the twelve dimensions
• Graded evidence for every finding (source reliability A–C, credibility 1–3)
• Red flags and the questions to resolve before deciding

A report should be built for a decision, not for a file.

7. Governance of the review

Senior advisers whose careers mirror the role challenge the plan, the findings and the remedies at fixed points on a fifteen-day clock, and every report is signed off by the engagement lead as the single point of escalation for red flags.