Eduard von Kymmel (id Linked®): Governance Infrastructure for Independent Directors.
Eduard von Kymmel, founder of id Linked®, a Luxembourg-based governance platform, explains how digital infrastructure reduces regulatory and reputational risk around independent non-executive directors. Interview.
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What was the reason to start id Linked?
The governance of independent board members requires a clear structure to serve the board, and thus investors, as effectively as possible. Appointments of independent board members are no longer merely informal decisions based on personal relationships. Regulatory authorities such as the CSSF now scrutinise them closely, investors review them through due diligence, and advisors assess them. They play a decisive role in fund launches, restructurings and resignations. Yet many organisations still rely on undocumented networks, which carries risk in terms of governance, independence and implementation. I founded id Linked in 2021 to professionalise this ecosystem, building secure infrastructure, processes and tools around iNEDs
“id Linked supports Boards and iNEDs across the full lifecycle — from appointment, to mandate management, to ongoing governance efficiency.”
How do you do that?
It all starts with the appointment of iNEDs. We developed id Ship, a governance-grade search platform for asset managers and advisers who need to appoint directors in a documented, independent and time-efficient way. With more than 380 qualified and diverse profiles, id Ship ranks among the largest pools for iNED recruitment. Whether you appoint a director for a new fund launch, replace a resigning one, or strengthen board independence after CSSF or investor feedback, the platform allows an objective, documented, market-wide search without conflicts of interest.. Philipp Good, CEO of ESG-AM AG in Zurich, was among our first clients: he used id Ship to appoint an independent director for his Luxembourg SICAV and found the search simple and intuitive, the quality of the members impressive.
Is there anything else you do, apart from the appointment process, to improve governance?
We also support the director in organising their mandates. For their own safety and for the benefit of investors, an iNED must keep clear overview of every mandate, which allows sound decisions. id Cockpit, our secure digital tool, organises, monitors and professionalises mandates as portfolios grow. The iNED Joachim Kuske calls it an intuitive, complete support tool that tracks the key elements of a client relationship and adds useful control and performance functions. The tool recently received the Made in Luxembourg label, developed entirely in the country with its server hosted locally by a CSSF-supervised IT company. And, we have entered into a partnership with ILA, Luxembourg’s leading governance institution. Its CEO Philipp von Restorff notes that the arrangement reflects a shared commitment to efficient governance tools. With its digital services, id Linked promotes a transparent and fair iNED selection process and helps directors manage their roles efficiently, thereby enabling them to keep pace with the times and meet the demands placed on directors today.”