Tell me the board's question first

The most useful first message tells me about the company and the question the board is trying to answer. Please include the ownership and listing status, the committee where you expect me to contribute, the number of meetings in a year and how the company uses patient or customer data. I will reply with any obvious conflict before we discuss anything further, because my employer's relationships may rule out some companies. A chair, a member of the nomination committee or a search adviser retained by the company is equally welcome to write. I cannot discuss Chembakanad's patients, contracts or vendors, and I do not handle requests about individual medical records through this site; patients should contact the hospital's medical-records department. I am not offering consulting projects or software recommendations. Any appointment would also need my employer's written consent, so a first conversation is a beginning rather than a commitment.