Learn More About ISACA’s Governing Body

ISACA Governance FAQs

Updated 7 August 2023

ISACA is fully committed to governance good practices, transparency and integrity. To that end, we have compiled some frequently asked questions and provided answers here.

Q. How are board directors selected?
A. Every year ISACA engages in an extensive outreach program to solicit board director nominations from members worldwide.  Members may be nominated by other members or may self-nominate. Additionally, ISACA engages with a global executive search firm based in Switzerland to identify highly qualified external candidates from around the world. Each year, the Board of Directors publishes eligibility criteria and board attributes to ensure candidates:

• Have demonstrated their abilities
• Possess the desire to provide their time and energy to ISACA over an extended period
• Are likely to be productive board members

The Governance & Nominating Committee reviews all submitted applications and determines which candidates move on for the interview process with the Committee. The Committee works with a matrix that contains the skills, expertise, and background of the current Board in order to provide a gap analysis of areas to fill on the Board for the next term.

Q. Are all regions represented on the board?
A. ISACA’s board aims to have diversity of expertise, gender, ethnicity and geography. Ensuring the continued representation of the membership has been a key directive for the board, and one that has been embraced through an active and rigorous nomination and selection process. Ideally the Board would have representation from all regions every term, but using a strict quota system to select directors is impractical and could lead to the association missing out on the most qualified candidates being elected to the Board, which is why this requirement was removed from the bylaws. However, we are committed to continue drawing from all our membership regions through time so we may continue to grow through our board diversity, and the board engages a global executive search firm based in Switzerland to identify top external candidates from across the world as well.

ISACA has more than 1,500 dedicated volunteers each year, and every region is represented among those volunteers, enabling members in all regions to help influence, guide and shape the association. The diversity of ISACA’s professional community is one of our greatest strengths.

Q. Can an ISACA Board Chair be named Board Chair for a second time?
A. While this is not prohibited in the official bylaws, past board chairs do not serve as board chair again and the vice chair is not always the next board chair. As an example, the current vice chair, Brennan Baybeck, is a past board chair, and he will not serve as board chair again. He was asked by the board to serve as vice chair to help onboard a new CEO and a board chair who has extensive emerging tech and leadership experience but is newer to ISACA as an organization. He graciously accepted, and we appreciate his volunteerism.

Q. Do board members receive compensation?
A. No, ISACA board directors are unpaid volunteers.

Q. What are ISACA’s board term limits?
A. The current ISACA bylaws have a term limit of nine one-year terms for directors, except for designated directors. The designated directors are the four most recent past board chairs who are willing and able to serve. Therefore, the designated directors have a maximum of four additional one-year terms on the board, after which time they leave the board permanently. This change was made to ensure consistency in governance, in line with recommendations from outside experts, such as the NACD, to align with other similar organizations. The board continues to believe that it is critical to regularly add new directors to ensure access to new viewpoints and ideas, which is why there are still strict term limits in place.

Q. Why is an election of board directors by the membership not possible?
A. The appointment of new directors by the existing board is a common practice for associations and companies of ISACA’s size. Every year, ISACA engages in an extensive outreach program to solicit nominations from the members. Members may be nominated by other members or may self-nominate. The Governance & Nominating Committee reviews the submissions and qualifications of each nomination and interviews a significant number of members each year before presenting its slate of nominees to the board for consideration. While there is no longer a requirement in the ISACA bylaws requiring representation on the Board from specific regions, the board continues to believe that a diverse board reflecting the diversity of the membership is important and, to that end, the board uses a global recruitment firm to ensure they find highly qualified candidates from around the world.

Past service to ISACA remains a key basis for selection to the Board, but the board has also recognized that for an organization of ISACA’s size and complexity, there is also value in leveraging directors from outside of ISACA who have relevant knowledge and experience.

Q. Who are the current board directors?
A. ISACA’s board directors are listed here.

Q. When are nominations open each year?
A. Nominations are open from 1 December to 31 January.

Q. Can I nominate myself for the board?
A. Both self-nominations and nominations by others are encouraged.

Q. What information is required to nominate someone?
A. Interested applicants (or those that nominate another individual) complete the online nomination form by providing the candidate’s name, email address, ISACA member # and supporting answers to the various questions on the form (what background or expertise that individual would bring to the Board). All candidates must provide a CV along with a Letter of Recommendation as part of their candidate materials. Candidates must submit a minimum of 1 letter and may submit up to 3 letters of recommendation. ISACA staff and current ISACA Board members may not submit a letter of recommendation on behalf of a candidate.

Q. How are the chair and vice chair selected?
A. The Chair and Vice Chair of the ISACA Board of Directors are selected each year by the current Board from the current sitting Board Directors.

Q. Does ISACA host an Annual General Meeting? How are members made aware?
A. Yes, ISACA hosts an Annual General Meeting each year, governed by Roberts Rules of Order, per the ISACA bylaws. All members are invited to attend. The 2023 AGM took place in Prague and virtually. When a quorum of members is not reached (5 percent of the total membership), no items may be voted on. This year’s AGM did not achieve a quorum, so the meeting was strictly informational and ceremonial, including the installation of the 2023-2024 Board of Directors and a financial report.

Q: How can I find out what happened at the Annual General Meeting?
A. All members receive an invitation to the AGM at least one month before it occurs. If you were unable to attend the most recent AGM, you can find a detailed summary on the Annual General Meeting page.

Q. Where can I find information on ISACA’s financials?
A. ISACA’s financials are included in the organization’s annual report, which publishes each year in April. The information is also shared at the Annual General Meeting, to which all members are invited.

Q. How would you characterize ISACA’s financial health?
A. ISACA’s financial markers show strong health and stability. While there have been some unrealized losses due to market volatility and significant investments in the last 18 months, we have been on budget for the first half of 2023.

Q. Can I access the ISACA bylaws?
A. Yes, ISACA’s bylaws are available here.

Q. How do I contact an ISACA Board Director?
A. The Board appreciates the identification of areas where there are opportunities to improve our communication and transparency. Please reach out with any questions or comments to communications@goudounet.com.

Q. What are ISACA’s Strategic Advisory Councils, and what do they do?
A. ISACA established regional Strategic Advisory Councils in 2022. All chapter presidents are de facto members of their region’s SAC. These councils seek to better understand the needs and opportunities in each region and, subsequently, assist in the planning of respective initiatives. They meet on an as-needed basis, typically twice per year.