APIA Swiss offers mutual enrichment to its individual members

The union and diversity of personalities and experiences are a strength for exchanging, training, developing work themes useful to companies, regaining confidence in the exercise of mandates, working for the recognition and enhancement of the function of independent directors, building a group legitimacy and reputation from which everyone benefits.

APIA Swiss helps its members to:

• Promote the role of the independent professional director.
• To achieve excellence in the performance of their duties.
• To deepen their knowledge, drawing in particular on the network of expert partners.
• To exchange experiences and ideas among members.
• To develop their expertise and their own projects in order to increase APIA's reach.

Admission criteria

• To be or to have recently and permanently been a manager of SMEs, in a position of true decision-maker, and to have acted ethically in this capacity.
• Demonstrate a motivated interest in the role of independent director.
• To adhere to APIA's mission, its Charter and its internal regulations and to sign them.
• To have sufficient professional autonomy and resources so as not to depend on APIA and to be able to maintain independence in carrying out any mandates entrusted to him.
• Being able and willing to invest time to improve oneself and share one's experience with others.

Admission procedure

Candidates are sponsored by the member or partner who introduced them to APIA. They submit a CV and cover letter to the President of APIA Swiss. The CV and cover letter are then forwarded to all APIA members, who have 15 days to submit a veto or comment to the Board of Directors. A veto is a reasoned objection based solely on factual evidence relating to the candidate's conduct in relation to APIA's values. Any veto results in the closure of the application. If no veto is issued, the candidate meets with three APIA members. The conclusions of the interviews are reported to the Board of Directors, which then decides whether to accept or reject the application or offer the candidate the most suitable status. This decision is based on the criteria mentioned above and may also take into account the impression gained during the interviews. Membership fees, which must be paid to individuals, are CHF 750 for 2019.

APIA Swiss offers a training ground for its future active members

Our associate members enjoy the same rights and obligations as active members. However, they are not eligible to apply for independent director positions from companies.

Admission criteria

Our associate members have the potential to eventually meet the admission criteria for active members and the willingness to become independent directors. The decision rests with the Steering Committee.

Admission procedure

The applicants followed the active member admission procedure, but their applications were rejected because they did not meet all the admission criteria. The Board of Directors may then decide on their admission as associate members. The associate membership fee is CHF 750 for 2019.

APIA has compiled the commitments that constitute the professional and ethical charter for its members. For APIA, being an Independent Director means:

1. It is conceived as a genuine profession and is practiced in the duration,
2. Is a responsibility important, requiring extensive and proven experience in the management and development of companies, in the management or representation of the interests of shareholders or partners, in the practice of Boards of Directors or Supervisory Boards or Strategic Committees,
3. Requires a real attachment to his freedom of judgment and commitment regardless of the origin of his appointment, existing or developing personal relationships within the company environment,
4. It is know perfectly and respect meticulously, in both letter and spirit, the role, rights and obligations assigned by law to each group of actors,
5. It means contributing to the creation of sustainable value, in the interest of shareholders or partners, in the interest of the company which increases its security, and in the interest of employees who find in it a source of stability and profit-sharing., 
6. It is to propose to companies and their shareholders or partners, on an ongoing basis the promotion of good practices and the professionalization of directors,
7. It is accept and respect the confidentiality of information and discussions within the company, its Board, or its Strategic Committee, 
8. It is accept precariousness, the absence of any guaranteed income, 
9. It is to understand that entrusting and accepting a mandate is a responsible act for each of the parties. 

The conditions to be met to become APIA members are:

1. To be or have recently been a company director, in a position of true decision-making (corporate officer for at least two years in a company of a minimum size) and to have acted ethically in this capacity, or to have extensive experience as a director in various companies,
2. Demonstrate a motivated interest in the role of independent director,
3. To commit to respecting and adhering to the mission of the APIA association, its charter, and its internal regulations
4. To possess sufficient professional autonomy and resources to avoid dependence on APIA and to maintain independence of mind in carrying out any mandates entrusted to them. To not be motivated solely by profit.
5. Being able to invest time in improving oneself and sharing one's experience with others

If you wish to become a member of the association, or find out how to integrate an APIA administrator into your company's governance, go to the section contact.