Julian Yarr

You have developed a substantial portfolio of roles since stepping down as managing partner of A&L Goodbody. How are you finding portfolio life?

Since stepping down as managing partner of A&L Goodbody in 2022, I have taken on a varied mix of board and advisory roles. I currently chair Sorainen, an international law firm with offices across the Baltics; professional services firm EisnerAmper Ireland; and Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. I also act as a board adviser to the European law firm network Advant and Irish law firm Beauchamps. I am very busy, but I love it. I had spent 12 years as managing partner, which is a long stretch in anyone’s book. I think it is important for leaders to recognise when the time is right to step aside and give a new team the opportunity to bring fresh thinking, energy and ambition.

The timing was right for the firm, and it was certainly right for me. I love strategy, people and international work, and I began to wonder whether I could focus on the aspects of leadership I found most interesting, rather than taking on another full-time CEO role. I would love to say I had a clear strategy for what came next, but one thing led to another. Over time, the different roles came together to form a portfolio that I find both interesting and rewarding.

What was the most important leadership lesson you took from your time at A&L Goodbody?

The fundamental lesson was the importance of gathering really brilliant people around you. You do not have to possess all the knowledge, experience or skills yourself. Your ability to bring really good people into a room is more important. Making good decisions is what makes a good leader. It should not be about me or my ideas. That has been a core tenet throughout my career, and I think it has been very beneficial to me as a chair. Your job is to help the board members and the executive make really good decisions.

How did you decide what the next stage of your career should look like?

I received really good support from my wife and from a few other people I know and trust. They advised me to be patient and to be a little choosy about what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it. I also returned to education and qualified as an executive coach. As part of that process, you have to be quite introspective before you can coach other people. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and really helped my thinking process. One lesson I took from it, which every board member needs, is the importance of really listening and not interrupting.

What does effective chairing involve? How can a chair create psychological safety in the boardroom?

The trite definition of the role is that the chair must make sure the board reaches good decisions. In practice, however, that requires a great deal of discipline. It also requires a board dynamic in which members understand why they are there and recognise that theirs is a non-executive function. You have to make sure people remain focused on the macro rather than becoming drawn into the micro.

In practice, psychological safety means that people feel comfortable asking difficult questions and know those questions will be treated as part of a well-functioning board, rather than as personal criticism. Challenge is there to support as well as to test. Some board members love to talk, while others say very little. When those quieter members do speak, however, what they say can be particularly important. The chair needs to ensure that all voices are heard. One technique I have seen another chair use very effectively to avoid groupthink is to ask one part of the board to argue in favour of a resolution and another part to argue against it. I have used a similar approach by asking directors to capture both the reasons for doing something and the associated risks and challenges.

How important is the relationship between the chair and the CEO?

It is very important. The CEO or managing partner is the person ultimately responsible for running the business. They need to feel that the board is useful, rather than seeing it as a rubber stamp or, worse, a poor use of their time. As a chair, it is important to be close to the managing partner or CEO, understand what they are thinking about and establish what they want and need to get from the board. Effective governance depends not only on the expertise of individual directors, but also on the quality of the conversations the board creates, the discipline with which the chair guides those conversations and the willingness of directors to continue developing their practice.

How can boards ensure they remain focused on the future?

Sometimes boards can be more focused on the rear-view mirror than on what lies ahead. They can find comfort in concentrating on financial reports and targets. There can be less focus on whether the organisation has the right people in the right roles or on how succession should be managed. Board conversations can also become too internally focused. Maintaining an external perspective is crucial. That might involve inviting a client or customer to speak to the board, spending time considering the market and the organisation’s proposition, or examining what competitors are offering. My rule of thumb is that it is management’s job to think about the quarter, while the board’s job is to think about next year.

What does the rapid development of AI mean for boards?

Boards can fall into the trap of thinking about how to make their horse and cart faster. They might consider adding more horses, making the wheels slightly more aerodynamic or identifying new staging posts, when they should really be spending their time building a car. That is the scale of the strategic change boards may need to consider when thinking about AI.

What role should board evaluation play in supporting effectiveness?

Board evaluation is not simply useful; it is a necessity. An external evaluation by an organisation such as IoD Ireland should take place every other year, or possibly every third year. The really important point, however, is that there should be an ongoing assessment dynamic between the chair and the board, including an internal review every year.

What advice would you give someone considering becoming a non-executive director?

People need to think critically about what the organisation requires, assess their own experience and then translate that experience into what they can contribute to the board. I would also encourage people to train themselves to think a little differently. They should have a good sense of the sectors or types of organisations they will enjoy, that will give them energy and to which they can genuinely add value.

How valuable is it for directors to be part of a professional community?

It is critically important for all board members to have a network through which they can connect with others and continue learning. IoD Ireland offers very good resources, learning and development programmes, as well as opportunities to meet people, build connections and share experiences. Board effectiveness is not static. Directors need access to fresh thinking, peer insight and practical learning throughout their careers.