Routes to becoming an industry leader

There are three simple routes for breaking into the cosy world of industry leadership, writes Michael Dowling

LAST year, top bosses in the US saw their salaries rise by 27%, despite 2010 being a fairly bad year for the rest of us. It seems the top levels of companies operate under a different set of economic rules.

Particularly sought after, at the top levels of industry, is a role called the non-executive director. In no other job is so little required and so much paid. One large Irish company requires its non-executive directors to attend eight meetings a year and pays them an average of €130,000 each. !