Diploma in Company Direction
Great news from the Institute of Directors (IoD), today I found out that I have passed the Diploma in Company Direction exam after 8 months of sutdy on the IoD’s Company Direction Programme. This clears the way for me to apply to become a Chartered Director.
During the 8 months I studied at the IoD I covered a number of topics including:
- The Role of the Company Director and the Board
- The Director and the Law
- Finance for non-Finance Directors
- Strategic Business Direction
- Effective Marketing Strategies
- People Mean Business (HR)
- Board Decision Making
- Leading and Directing Change
About the Author
Mario Thomas is a Chartered Director and Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IoD) with nearly three decades bridging software engineering, entrepreneurial leadership, and enterprise transformation. As Head of Applied AI & Emerging Technology Strategy at Amazon Web Services (AWS), he defines how AWS equips its global field organisation and clients to accelerate AI adoption and prepare for continuous technological disruption.
An alumnus of the London School of Economics and guest lecturer on the LSE Data Science & AI for Executives programme, Mario partners with Boards and executive teams to build the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to scale advanced technologies responsibly. His independently authored frameworks — including the AI Stages of Adoption (AISA), Five Pillars of AI Capability, and Well-Advised — are adopted internationally in enterprise engagements and cited by professional bodies advancing responsible AI adoption, including the IoD.
Mario's work has enabled organisations to move AI from experimentation to enterprise-scale impact, generating measurable business value through systematic governance and strategic adoption of AI, data, and cloud technologies.