CISI x FINTECH Circle Board Readiness Programme

Build your board,
NED and portfolio career

Discover an exclusive board programme tailored for CISI Chartered Members and Fellows. Designed for senior financial services professionals aiming to secure paid non-executive director (NED) roles, board advisor positions, and fractional executive portfolios.

Apply for the Flagship Programme Join the 12 October webinar to learn more
Digital Webinar Event
Exclusive Board Readiness Programme

Build your board career in fintech & regulated financial services

Powered by CISI x FINTECH Circle

Exclusively for CISI Chartered Members and Fellows, this new programme is built on FINTECH Circle's Flagship Board Programme, the fintech sector's first board-specific pathway to paid portfolio careers. It features a finance- and fintech-specific curriculum designed to help you secure credible roles as Board Advisors, Non-Executive Directors, Chairs, and Fractional Executives.

Where

Programme delivered
in hybrid format

When

First cohort begins:
January 2027

3 hrs/wk

Invest 3 months into your board career to be best positioned for success.

Fintech CEOs

Join their Boards and Webinars, building your own valuable personal network.

Head-hunters

8 Leading board headhunter firms will share their best practices and top tips.

Chairs/NEDs

More than 50% of board seats are filled through personal networks.

CISI Members

This programme is exclusive to CISI members with individual Chartered status.

BOARD COURSE

A curriculum built around how board seats are actually won.

The programme covers the governance knowledge boards expect, and the positioning work that gets you shortlisted: your board CV and biography, board interviews, committee readiness, and the fintech-specific and AI know-how that makes you useful in the room.

The role of the board – Duties, liabilities and what independence really means in practice.
Governance in regulated financial services – Committees and regulatory expectations.
Fintech risk & opportunities – From new technology, AI, fraud, cyber, sustainability and conduct through a board lens. Fully understand the various fintech business and revenue models.
Growth Mindset & the Power of AI – You will learn how to use AI responsibly both for your board research and ongoing strategy work, and build your own agentic AI assistant.
Board interviews – How to prepare your board CV, what is tested, and how appointments are being made. Learn how the headhunter search process works to put your best foot forward.
Portfolio economics – How paid board, advisory and fractional roles fit together. We help you assess the upside of equity and options versus monthly board fee payments to help you negotiate.
ROADMAP TO SUCCESS

How the 3-month Flagship programme is structured.

A clear, cohort-based journey from onboarding to placement, with live online sessions, Pop-Up Boards, personal coaching and in-person London events spread across three months and beyond.

What are Pop-Up Boards?

A 90 min board meeting with a Fintech CEO who shares their real challenges and goals, giving our Board Programme Members the opportunity to deep dive into a concrete company environment. It allows practise of a real board meeting, involving you in the group dynamics among the Chair, the CEO and your fellow board members. You will receive real board papers to review before the board meeting, so you can arrive fully prepared with questions and your thoughts on the key priorities. You also will be encouraged to leverage your industry knowledge to advise the CEO on addressing their current challenges and expanding their business further.

Month 1: Onboarding

  • Join private cohort WhatsApp group
  • Watch board course (12 hours)
  • Welcome call (1 hour)
  • Complete member questionnaire
  • Submit board CV
  • Live board webinars 1-2
  • Live fintech Pop-Up Board

Month 2: Positioning

  • NED CV clinic with headhunter
  • Live board webinars 3-4
  • Member interview for blog feature
  • Personal social media card

Month 3: Visibility

  • Live board webinars 5-6
  • Live fintech Pop-Up Board

Post-Programme

  • Board member directory
  • Community + WhatsApp access

In-Person: London

  • Annual Board & CEO Summit
  • House of Lords event (summer)
Success Stories & Endorsements

Trusted by industry leaders.

Hear from Louise Holden about the programme

"The FINTECH Circle Board Programme strengthens the pipeline of board-ready and advisory talent, helping experienced executives transition into board roles. This is critical for individual businesses and for maintaining UK's position as a global fintech hub."

Katie Ramsey

Head of the Global Venture Capital Unit, Office for Investment | Dept. for Business & Trade | UK Government

"The FINTECH Circle Board Programme plays an important role in closing that gap between the needs of high-growth fintech companies requiring a growth mindset of their NEDs, Executive Directors and the practical experience available at board and advisory level."

Charles McManus

Co-Founder & Non-Executive Director of ClearBank & Co-Chair of the Unicorn Council of Innovate Finance | UK's Unicorn Council

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

Get board-ready with the Flagship programme

This live, immersive experience features exclusive Pop-Up Boards, prestigious London events and high-level networking with leading board members, fintech CEOs and elite headhunters.

Flagship Programme

£2,950

Everything you need to secure your first or next board role in the fintech sector.

Apply for the Flagship Programme

Need help securing funding? We've created a template you can use to get buy-in from your organisation.

Download Template
  • 12-hour on-demand course, self-paced
  • 1 year content access
  • 7 headhunter sessions inside the course
  • Always-on rolling access: start any time
  • Certificate of completion, CPD-eligible hours
  • FINTECH Circle newsletter
  • Monthly live webinars with NEDs, Chairs and headhunters
  • Monthly Pop-Up Board with live fintech CEOs
  • In-person London events
  • Live NED CV Clinic with Headhunter
  • WhatsApp peer network
  • Personal social media card and written interview published
  • CPD certificate, selective admission

Invoices can be issued to individual members or to their companies. All our fees include 20% VAT.

Next step

Secure your place in the exclusive Flagship programme, or join our intro webinar on 12 October to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a CISI member to apply?

Yes, you need to be a current Chartered Member, Chartered Fellow, Fellow or Honorary Fellow to apply for the programme.

Do I need existing board experience?

No. The programme is designed for senior professionals building their first paid board portfolio, as well as those already holding a seat who want fintech-specific depth.

Is this an appointment service?

The programme prepares you for board roles and puts you in the room with the executive search firms, fintech board members and fintech CEOs who fill them. Appointments remain the decision of the appointing board and its advisers.

When does the next cohort start?

The Flagship cohort starts in January 2027. The cohorts are 3 months long immersive learning experiences where you will get to review board packs, participate in board meetings and live webinars with headhunters, board members, AI experts and Fintech CEOs.

Places are limited in the Flagship Programme.

Apply for the Flagship Programme Join the 12 Oct Intro Webinar Book a 15-min strategy consultation