outside director; independent director
A member of a company's board who is not an executive officer or employee of the company, often brought in for objective oversight. Common in corporate governance contexts.
Our company has appointed two outside directors.
The role of outside directors is to increase management transparency.
取締役 is a general director (board member), while 社外取締役 specifically refers to an outside or independent director who is not part of the company's management.
社内取締役 is an inside director who is also an executive or employee of the company, contrasting with 社外取締役.
Compound of 社外 (outside the company) + 取締役 (director). A modern business term reflecting corporate governance practices.