Lamia Daher Directors’ Rights and Responsibilities - Balancing Power with Accountability

In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, the role of company directors has never carried greater weight - or greater scrutiny. For commercial and family lawyer Lamia Daher, helping directors understand the legal, ethical and strategic dimensions of their responsibilities has become both a professional mission and a personal calling.

“As a commercial and family lawyer, I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of law, strategy and accountability,” Lamia shares. “It’s important to educate and protect the community by helping people understand their rights, responsibilities, and the impact their actions have on employees, shareholders, and the wider community.”

With more than two decades of experience guiding businesses through the complexities of governance and compliance, Lamia Daher brings a clear-eyed view of what it means to lead with integrity. She reminds us that being a company director is a privilege that carries significant responsibility - one grounded in trust, diligence and transparency.

Understanding the Director’s Role

In Australia, directors occupy a position of trust that extends well beyond company walls. Lamia explains that directors’ key rights - from participating in management decisions to accessing company information and relying on professional advice - exist to enable sound and independent judgment.

But those rights are balanced by equally weighty duties. Directors must act with care and diligence, in good faith, and for a proper purpose. They must avoid conflicts of interest, ensure the company remains solvent, and maintain accurate financial and compliance records.

“Directors are guardians, not personal owners,” Lamia notes. “They must act in the company’s best interests, not their own or a select few shareholders’. Delegation is permitted, abdication is not.”

Beyond Compliance: Evolving Expectations

Today’s directors face growing expectations from investors, regulators and the community. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles have reshaped what accountability means at the board level.

“Boards must now weigh decisions through a broader lens, how they affect employees, customers, communities and the environment,” Lamia explains. “It’s no longer just about profit; it’s about purpose.”

She points out that directors increasingly ask questions once seen as peripheral: Are our workplace practices fair? Are our operations sustainable? Are our decisions transparent and ethical? These questions, Lamia says, signal a profound shift - one that ties corporate success to public trust.

Where Directors Go Wrong - and How to Get It Right

In Lamia’s experience, most directors falter not from bad intent, but from a lack of vigilance. Common pitfalls include complacency, over-reliance on management, poor record keeping, and failure to respond to red flags such as cash-flow stress or compliance breaches.

Her practical guidance is simple yet powerful:

• Stay informed and actively engaged.

• Ask questions - even the uncomfortable ones.

• Keep accurate board minutes and reasoning.

• Act early on warning signs.

• Undertake regular governance training.

“Good governance depends on engagement, transparency and accountability. Informed, active directors face far fewer legal and reputational risks.”

Diversity Strengthens Decision-Making

Lamia is also a strong advocate for diverse boards, noting that varied experience and perspective lead to better oversight and more balanced judgment.

“Diversity reduces groupthink,” she says. “It ensures decisions reflect the interests of all stakeholders - employees, customers, investors and the broader community.”

Empowering the Next Generation of Directors

For emerging or newly appointed directors, Lamia’s message is clear: know your business.

“Ask the hard questions. Understand the risks. Challenge assumptions. You cannot lead effectively from a distance.” she advises.

At the Elevate Business Summit 2026, Lamia will share practical tools and insights to help directors navigate complex governance issues with confidence.

“Growing up feeling out of place and facing discrimination early in my career shaped my purpose to educate, empower, and uplift others,” she reflects. “Through Elevate, I hope to help attendees walk away with clarity, confidence and a renewed sense of responsibility.”

Join Lamia Daher at the Elevate Business Summit 2026, 7–10 May at Intercontinental Hayman Island, as she unpacks Directors’ Rights and Responsibilities and the evolving standards of leadership in today’s corporate landscape. Registrations are open now and filling fast. Numbers are strictly limited.

About Elevate

The Elevate Business Summit, held 7–10 May 2026 at the Intercontinental Hayman Island, brings together Australia’s most accomplished Muslim business leaders, thinkers, and innovators for three transformative days of insight, inspiration, and connection. Presented in partnership with Salaam, the summit explores how faith, ethics, and enterprise intersect to shape the next generation of purposeful leadership and prosperity.