Independent director qualifications limit relatives' financial ties and require relevant expertise to safeguard board independence. An independent director must have appropriate skills, experience or knowledge in fields related to the company's business (such as finance, law, management, sales, marketing, administration, research, corporate governance or technical operations). Relatives of an independent director must not be indebted to, nor have provided guarantees or securities for indebtedness to, the company or its holding, subsidiary or associate companies, their promoters, or their directors within the specified recent financial periods, thereby restricting familial financial ties that could compromise a director's independence.