Start with the assets and the risk

Tell me first what the company operates and where, and which risk the board feels least able to see clearly today. A short note on ownership, the committee you have in mind and how often its members visit sites would help me judge whether a first conversation is worthwhile. I would prefer to speak with the chair, a nomination committee member or a search adviser acting for the board. Please do not send incident reports, network diagrams or supplier contracts at this stage; if there is a fit, those can follow under a confidentiality arrangement the company chooses. I remain chief technology officer of Lautaneri Energy, so any appointment would need my chief executive's consent and a review of shared suppliers, customers and shareholders. Questions about our island plants, energy supply or equipment purchases should go to Lautaneri's commercial team rather than to me.