[5] Around 70% are self-employed or work for small and medium-sized enterprises, while 78% of FTSE 100 companies have an IoD member on their board or in a senior management position.

Working with various stakeholders, the IoD campaigns on issues of importance to its members and the wider business community to build an environment in the UK which supports company directors.

The Annual Convention was the flagship IoD event and a fixture of the business calendar, historically taking place at the Royal Albert Hall each year.

The last Annual Convention took place in September 2016 and included former Greece finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, Lord Norman Lamont of Lerwick, global economist Dambisa Moyo, and Nicola Sturgeon.

Julia Gillard, former Australian prime minister, delivered the inaugural lecture in June 2015 at 116 Pall Mall to an audience of politicians, academics, and business leaders.

Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservative party, gave the 2016 lecture and was interviewed by BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg at 116 Pall Mall in December.

It contained interviews with business leaders and politicians, updates from the IoD, debates on topical issues, reviews and features.

In October 2017 the magazine was cut back to six issues per year, and stopped being printed during the Coronavirus pandemic for sustainability reasons.

She was succeeded by Charlotte Valeur[10] who stood down in August 2020 because of constraints on her time and rumours regarding opposition to a plan to quit the Pall Mall headquarters.

This was opened as a contemporary meeting space in contrast with the more traditional 116 Pall Mall, and the interiors were created by noted designers Wayne and Geraldine Hemingway.

116 Pall Mall has been used as a location for many films and TV programmes, including Gandhi, Foyle's War, Downton Abbey, The Ali G Show, Parks and Recreation and The Dark Knight.