It might seem like a prestigious job to be on the board of BHP, Rio Tinto or Commonwealth Bank, or any company in the ASX 200. But the pay is relatively modest, the hours formidable – if you do the job properly – and the risks enormous. Directors are typically the first to be blamed in courts, inquiries, and royal commissions when something goes wrong. For any individual joining an ASX 200 organisation, the advice from other directors and company advisers is to do the research on other board members, so you know what...