How to make friends and influence Corporate Governance

The great thing about modern business is the notion of corporate governance.  For the uninitiated,  or perhaps even those who dangerously combine ignorance and ego,  corporate governance defines the systems that ensure the best interests of the corporation are cared for.

These interests are not limited only to the pecuniary kind. They also take into account such things as social responsibility, reputation, stakeholder expectations and strangely, the rule of law.

[pullquote]Under the careful watch of N. Srinivasan, the BCCI has become a cesspit of filth unmatched by any overflowing Mumbai open sewer.[/pullquote]

The ultimate owner of corporate governance is the board, with the Chairman or President being held as the beacon of what is right.

Unless, of course, you are the BCCI.

Under the careful watch of N. Srinivasan, the BCCI has become a cesspit of filth unmatched by any overflowing Mumbai open sewer.

An exhaustive list of corporate governance breaches would see this article fill the data centres of Google and Yahoo five times over.

However, for your reading enjoyment, I have chosen to list some notable instances.

– The pressuring of other team’s captains,  via their boards,  to ensure Tim May had no official seat in the ICC. Actually,  let’s correct that.  The interference in an ICC vote, after that vote was closed, and was independent of all national boards, to ensure a player unionist could not have a voice

– Running a competition that is so corrupt and conflicted in the IPL that it moves matches out of India and away from Indian police jurisdiction,  a team owned by the BCCI president that is tainted by the gambling habits of his son in law manager,  the said BCCI president has been deemed to have lied about the son in law’s role by the Indian Supreme Court, the Indian captain plays for this team and has accusations of match fixing over his head,  a leading umpire has today been outed by the Mumbai police for gambling on matches he officiated in,  the removal of legend Kapil Dev from the record books for aligning with a rival competition,  convictions of spot fixing by players….. this list can go on for ever

– Being the only cricketing board that runs press boxes for a profit,  resulting in the BBC covering Test matches in India from London studios.

– Changing overseas tour plans late in the game to the chagrin of local businesses, players and supporters, just so as to make a political point against another board President.

– The buying of the voices of once respectable journalists

– The silencing of others by refusing press accreditation

– Threatening other boards with a refusal to play if ex Australia Prime Minister was voted onto the ICC Board

– The refusal to play Pakistan

– Chasing social media dissenters by having their accounts closed down

– Using untrained and conflicted members of staff to hold internal investigations into conflicts and corruption.  Surprisingly,  no evidence of either was found.

I can go on, but I won’t.

All of this could be laughed off as one rogue board going into self destruct mode if it wasn’t for the fact that President Srinivasan will soon head the world’s governing body, the ICC.

Think about that for a moment.  The most conflicted and corrupted world sporting president will soon be in charge of one of the biggest sports in the world.

What has been the response of other school yard power brokers in England and Australia? Well,  they have invited him into their homes like a prodigal son.

Corporate governance. It’s probably there for a reason.

So,  do me a favour and highlight all the bits I have missed in the comments section.Follow @denniscricket_