Speaking at the graduation of 22 people from the programme, Mr Thomas said the course also provided an understanding of the distinction between governance and management.
''I know you have particularly valued the fact the course is delivered `by directors for directors' and have benefited from experienced national and local directors sharing their wisdom, skills and experiences.''
Escea chief executive Nigel Bamford, who was one of the graduates, said he was also a board member and the course had helped him learn about both roles. That included not just how a board should function but also what a board's expectations should be of the company chief executive and in what ways the leader should work best with the company's directors, he said.
The programme was delivered in monthly two-hour sessions over 10 months and was designed to provide training, guidance and support to new directors or those directors who had not previously undertaken governance training, Mr Thomas said.
