Shaping the agenda

Insights, Events & News

Collective intelligence
Critical thinking in business: leave no stone unturned
Just 10% of businesses say they have the quality…
Board & management papers
Be more Apple, less Xerox: 4 communication tips that turn great ideas into action
Great ideas — even ones that might change the…
Board & management papers
Great communication: call your BLUF to get your message across
Learn how to improve communication in business by…
Board & management papers
How to write an executive summary that gets your reader on your side
The best executive summaries go beyond setting…
Interview
Eamonn Hughes: “The story isn't just in the numbers.”
Eamonn Hughes, CFO at Peabody, discusses the…
Interview
Matt Truman: “If you want sustainable, industry-wide change, you need a systematic approach that builds a momentum of its own.”
Matt Truman, chair at True, shares insights on…
Interview
Susan Burton: “My only definition of failure is not trying.”
Susan Burton, founder and CEO at Classlist,…
Interview
Kate Owen: “Strong relationships open opportunities for development.”
Kate Owen, Director of Governance at Elemental…
Interview
Sally Johnson: “We can't just chase profits in a specific quarter.”
Sally Johnson, CFO at Pearson, explains why…
AI-powered reporting
The best businesses tackle the tough questions head-on. Here’s why, and how you can do it too
Learn how to tackle tough questions head-on,…
Interview
Truett Tate: “There’s no room for ego in the boardroom.”
Truett Tate, Chair at TLC Lions, discusses the…
Board & management papers
How to create a great company dashboard
Discover how to create a great business dashboard…
Interview
Louise Smith: “Social media has the power today to bring down banks.”
Louise Smith, Chair at Stripe and Innovate…
Board & management papers
Board packs are getting worse. Here’s why and how to fix it.
Less than half of directors and governance…
Interview
Stephen Oxley: “Integrate non-financial metrics into everything you do and sustainability becomes a natural part of decision-making."
Stephen Oxley, CFO at Johnson Matthey, explains…
Events
The role of female technology leaders
Women working in tech face extra challenges. What…
Board portal
4 ways corporate service providers can better meet their clients’ needs with a board portal
From improved collaboration to enhanced…
Board & management papers
How to turn critical thinking into a business superpower
Discover the importance of asking the right…
Interview
Connie Collingsworth: “The board shouldn’t have to read between the lines.”
Connie Collingsworth, independent director at…
Interview
Martha Lane Fox: “You should support management right until the moment you shouldn’t.”
Martha Lane Fox, president of the British…
Corporate governance
The FCA’s s166 — Passing skilled person reviews takes more than skill
The FCA are taking a more “aggressive” stance…
Events
What big questions are on the minds of business leaders for 2024?
150 business leaders share the question that…
Technology
New research reveals directors’ concerns about tech literacy in the boardroom
Directors worry they cannot effectively oversee…
Board & management papers
The 3 communication habits your business needs, and how to make them stick
Improve your business communication with these…
Technology
The definitive guide to AI for the board pack
AI can bring tangible benefits to board reporting…
Board & management papers
How the QDI Principle can help you write better board packs
Improve your board packs with the QDI Principle…
Interview
Peter Birch: “We’re trying to make sure that what we say aligns exactly with what we do.”
Peter Birch, CFO at AJ Bell, explains how to…
CEO
Two heads are better than one
Discover the power of collective intelligence in…
Interview
John Worth: “The best legacy that anyone can leave is to pass on your experiences and knowledge.”
John Worth, Group CFO at Hastings Group Holdings,…
Board & management papers
The three capabilities every business needs to move faster
Discover the three essential capabilities that…
Interview
Aidan Connolly: “The CFO’s role is, by definition, a contradiction.”
Aidan Connolly, Group CFO at Travelodge, sums up…
ExCo
Board Intelligence co-CEOs publish “essential guide” for business leaders
Discover the secrets to building enduringly…
Interview
Carole Cran: “The CFO has an opportunity to act as a catalyst.”
Carole Cran, CFO at Forth Ports and Non-Executive…
Technology
AI and board reporting: is there a Board PackGPT in our future?
AI cannot, and should not, create your board…
Interview
Stuart Geddes: “ESG represents something of an opportunity whilst simultaneously presenting a real challenge.”
Stuart Geddes, CIO at Ocorian, explores the…
Board & management papers
A guide to creating effective board packs
Board packs serve as conversation catalysts in…
Interview
Dominic Barton: “Great meetings don’t just hinge on great people; they also need to be set up for success.”
Dominic Barton, chair at Rio Tinto, shares his…
Interview
Vic Holmes: “Senior management have to walk the talk.”
Vic Holmes, chair at Ocorian Administration…
CEO
The definitive guide to the CEO’s report
The CEO’s report can be invaluable for CEOs and…
CEO
How to write a great CEO report
Learn how to write a great CEO report. Discover…
Collective intelligence
Introducing the “Collective Intelligence” book
Read Pippa’s journey to better communication in…
Collective intelligence
What is collective intelligence and why does it matter?
Learn about the concept of collective…
Interview
Dr Nnenna Osuji: “I must be prepared to walk away from my job in order for me to do it well.”
Dr Nnenna Osuji, CEO at North Middlesex…
Interview
Alison Dolan: “Look to yourself to embrace new things.”
Alison Dolan, CFO at Rightmove, discusses the…
Interview
Louise Britnell: “Rampant short-termism is a real and credible danger to making progress.”
Louise Britnell, CFO at The Co-operative Bank…
Interview
Duncan Magrath: “Lead by example and by doing the right thing.”
Duncan Magrath, CFO at Alfa Financial Software,…
Interview
Brad Greve: “Businesses need talent, communities need fair representation, and everyone needs a chance.”
Brad Greve, CFO at BAE Systems, shares insights…
Interview
Candida Davies: “We don’t just want to deliver on time, we want to be sure we did it in the right way.”
Candida (Candy) Davies, CFO at RWS Group,…
Board portal
How board portals keep your information secure from cyberthreats
Most boards of directors lack the tools to secure…
Interview
Rita Clifton CBE: “There are two things you can never say as a NED: ‘That was my idea’ and ‘I told you so.’”
Rita Clifton, deputy chair at John Lewis…
Interview
Tara Cemlyn-Jones: “Everyone in an organisation has a role to play in changing culture.”
Tara Cemlyn-Jones, CEO at 25x25, shares insights…
Interview
BoardClic / Board Intelligence: Q&A with Monica Lagercrantz and Malin Lombardi
We sat down with BoardClic founders Monica…
ExCo
How to write a great management report
Discover how to craft a great management report.…
Interview
Arnaud Misset: “When people don’t understand something, it soon becomes easy not to care.”
Arnaud Misset, CACEIS' Chief Digital Officer,…
Partner announcement
BoardClic and Board Intelligence enter partnership
Discover our new partnership with BoardClic:…
Interview
Victoria Penrice: “I realised it wasn’t good enough to be just ‘good enough.’”
Victoria Penrice, immediate past President of…
Interview
Sükrü Evrengün: “Making decisions quickly is absolutely crucial.”
Sükrü Evrengün, CEO at Bolder Group, shares…
Events
Proposed revisions to the UK Corporate Governance Code: what do directors need to know?
The UK Corporate Governance Code is changing:…
Case study
How Waystone gained a day back of their working week with the Board Intelligence board portal
Discover how Waystone improved operational…
Interview
Peter Burrows: “One of the greatest challenges is making sense of that data so you can communicate it.”
Peter Burrows, CEO of Cambridge Building Society,…
Interview
Samir Pandiri: “The risk of being left behind should scare anyone.”
Samir Pandiri, Group President of Apex Group,…
Interview
Declan Hourican: “We can't fight fraud on our own, we need all stakeholders to help us tackle it.”
Declan Hourican, CFO at TSB Bank, highlights…
ExCo
How to write a great business case
Discover how to write a great business case…
Opinion
Are you connected with the soul of your company?
We must all search harder for the soul of our…
Events
Race equity - the latest developments and priorities for boards
Learn about the latest developments and…
CFO
How to write a great finance report
Discover how to write a great finance report.…
Interview
Suzanne Heywood: “The best leaders can be both resilient and humble.”
Suzanne Heywood, COO at Exor NV, shares her…
Opinion
Discovering and nurturing tomorrow’s wealth creators
Project Can Do is empowering young students to…
Interview
Andy Morrow: “If you have a business that is anti-societal then that’s a problem.”
Public Digital's CFO, Andy Morrow, shares his…
Interview
Romaney O'Malley: “Ensure you’re getting an outcome that’s good for everyone, and not just your bottom line.”
Romaney O'Malley, bolttech's Group CFO, shares…
Opinion
Asylum — Is business playing its part?
Businesses and their boards should play their…
Interview
Clare Swindell: “Take a broad strategic view of your business beyond the typical CFO agenda.”
Camelot's Co-CEO, Clare Swindell, shares insights…
Interview
Sarah Pollard: “It's not just a question of capturing data but it's knowing what your destination is.”
Sarah Pollard, CFO at PZ Cussons plc, explains…
Interview
Priya Guha MBE: “We’ve got the path to non-executive roles slightly wrong.”
Priya Guha MBE shares her insights on…
Board portal
How to switch board portal in 4 simple steps
Switching board portal can seem overwhelming, but…
Interview
Joe Moynihan: “The advent of greater automation and AI tools should drive better decision-making.”
Joe Moynihan, CEO at Jersey Finance, discusses…
Opinion
Memo to the chair: Unhappy about ticking those ESG boxes? Then lead from the front
Shouldn’t company boards now be on a war footing?
Interview
Kelly Devine: “Culture needs to continually evolve to meet the business needs of today, and prepare for the business needs of tomorrow.”
Here, Kelly gives her top tips for demistifying…
Interview
Sharmila Nebhrajani OBE: “I think as much about the choreography of the discussion as about the paper.”
Sharmila Nebhrajani OBE, chair at NICE, gives her…
Interview
Jeff Davies: “We’ve got clarity on what it looks like to be doing the right thing.”
Jeff Davies, Group CFO at Legal and General,…
Opinion
Creativity — a basic requirement for business students
Business students aren’t known for their…
Interview
Fay Cooke: “The power to instigate change lies with corporates.”
Here, Fay shares her perspective on the CFO's…
Board portal
What is a board portal? A complete guide
Board portals allow leaders access to a secure…
Case study
How MPS revolutionised their board reporting with Board Intelligence
Working with the Medical Protection Society,…
Case study
How TSB transformed their board papers with Board Intelligence
Find out how leading retail bank TSB tapped into…
Technology
Four things that make fund service providers switch to Board Intelligence
From Waystone to Ocorian, the world’s largest…
Interview
Sarah Rapson: “We are taking the opportunity to bolster the Code where we feel the reporting is weaker.”
Sarah Rapson is deputy CEO at the FRC. She…
Interview
Jill Shedden MBE: “Non-executives need to turn up as people, rather than their CVs.”
Centrica's Chief People Officer, Jill Shedden…
Interview
Dervilla Mitchell CBE: “We need to overcome the inertia of ‘doing what we have always done.’”
Arup Group's Deputy Chair, Dervilla Mitchell CBE,…
Interview
Kiersten Barnet: “When it comes to boosting social mobility, hiring is just the first step.”
Kierstan shares how the NY Jobs CEO Council is…
Interview
Jenny Hanlon: “I relish not being the CFO you would expect to meet.”
Jenny Hanlon, CFO at Adnams, shares her thoughts…
Interview
Julia Woodhouse: “Exceptional leaders bring the human touch to the role.”
Julia Woodhouse (non-executive director at…
Opinion
Transparency was yesterday. Tomorrow is about vigilance. Four questions boards need to ask
Boards must prepare for a new era in which…
Interview
Elizabeth Chambers: “It takes a great chair to ensure there is enough oxygen in the room.”
Elizabeth Chambers, Operating Partner at…
Interview
Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne: “Keep things simple and fight against complexity creep.”
Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, founder of Genius Foods…
Interview
Bruce Van Saun: “Anything other than a striving mindset will let you down.”
Bruce Van Saun, CEO and chair at Citizens…
Opinion
It’s fine to set up a youth board, but what is your company doing about intergenerational fairness?
Boards and leadership teams are tackling the…
Opinion
Migration — the fairness test to come
“Who is my neighbour?” will increasingly loom…
Interview
Susanne Chishti: “It felt like the world was being changed right in front of us.”
Susanne Chishti, founder and CEO at FINTECH…
Interview
Kathryn Roberts: “It's a no-brainer to focus on the next generation.”
Kathryn Roberts, chair at Eversheds Sutherland,…
Interview
Joel Ripley: “The perennial challenge is taking data to information, to insight, to action.”
Here, Joel shares how CFOs can contribute to a…
Interview
Sally Lake, CFO, Beazley PLC: “The scariest thing for CFOs today is also the most exciting thing — it’s change.”
Sally Lake, Group Finance Director at Beazley…
Events
Governance Game Changers: how healthy governance steered the NHS through the pandemic
Read about our latest CoSec Meetup, where Katie…
Interview
Kerensa Jennings: “The great risk for board members is being left behind.”
Kerensa Jennings, Group Director, Data Platforms…
Opinion
We need to talk about purpose — but also about values!
The Purposeful Company offers us 6…
Interview
Silvana Bonello: “Knowing which questions to ask is more powerful than knowing everything.”
Silvana Bonello, COO at Superdry, shares her…
Events
Social mobility: The part of the Corporate Governance Code everyone’s forgotten about.
Social mobility is a blind spot for the majority…
Opinion
Does your company’s core activity help humans thrive?
Can you genuinely say your company’s activity…
Interview
Rachel Turk: “People like to say you should think outside the box; I think that what’s in the box is just as important.”
Rachel Turk, Group Head of Strategy at Beazley,…
Interview
Patrick Butcher: “Our superpower as a species is our ability to cooperate.”
In our latest CFO interview, Patrick Butcher,…
Interview
Stuart Jackson, CFO, Octopus Energy: “Let things go and see what flourishes.”
Stuart Jackson, CFO and co-founder of Octopus…
Opinion
Thinking like an owner — a precious by-product of capitalism
Capitalism displays many faults, but…
Interview
Susie Timlin: “If you get the people bit right, the rest follows.”
Susie Timlin is COO at UK Government Investments.…
Interview
Heather Tierney-Moore OBE: “As a non-executive, your value is in asking great questions.”
Heather Tierney-Moore OBE, chair at Supply Chain…
Opinion
From Jack Welch to Paul Polman — what a change in just 15 years!
We have begun to recognise that the employee is a…
Interview
Janice Ellig: “You cannot hire integrity. Great leaders have good character at their core.”
Janice Ellig, CEO at Ellig Group, shares the…
Interview
Zena Couppey: “Robust governance takes discipline”
Zena Couppey, CEO at Altum Group, shares her…
Regulation & compliance
Financial crime — the next big thing
There is a ‘tectonic shift’ underway in the…
Regulation & compliance
Consumer Duty Act’s implementation — tick tock, time is running out
The Consumer Duty Act is coming into force on 31…
Interview
George Magrath: “Connecting with patients keeps things in perspective.”
George shares what his clinical background taught…
Opinion
Nadhim and Ram: two tales about fairness
Most of the coverage of the Nadhim Zahawi story…
Interview
Andy Boteler, CFO, Riverford: “Net zero is a chance to say yes.”
Andy Boteler, CFO at Riverford Organic Farmers,…
Interview
Simon Collins: “Leaders of large organisations are like conductors of an orchestra.”
Here, Simon shares his views on the value of…
Interview
Harriet Green: “Speed rather than elegance.”
One of Radio 4’s 100 most powerful UK women and…
Events
Setting your CoSec career up for success
Advice on building your CoSec career from a panel…
Opinion
What companies do you most admire?
What companies do 15 year olds most admire and…
Interview
Eve Henrikson on organisational agility: “Learning what will drive you forward often necessitates learning what won’t.”
Eve is the general manager for Uber Eats EMEA and…
Events
CoSec Meetup: Deliveroo’s company secretary shares her keys to success
Read about our latest CoSec Meetup, where…
Interview
Julie Pomeroy: “Ask the naïve questions; it’s likely others are thinking the same thing.”
Here, Julie shares lessons learned from her…
Interview
Christiana Figueres: “We live in a truly exciting moment in the history of our species, with a great capacity to improve the world around us for each other.”
Christiana shares her insights as chair of the…
Interview
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on Muriel Thorne
Read our latest blog featuring Muriel Thorne,…
Interview
Saker Nusseibeh: “The market can’t solve problems without social cohesion.”
Saker Nusseibeh is CEO at Federated Hermes…
Opinion
Labour and the Twenty-First Century Economy — a twelve point plan for building a better capitalism
What is Labour’s plan for building better…
Interview
Interview with Adam Banks, NED & former CIO of Visa & AP Moller Maersk
Adam reflects on the moments that shaped his…
Corporate governance
Board Intelligence and The IoD Inquiry: Governance and Innovation
Board Intelligence have provided research support…
Opinion
What does respect for employees mean in the age of the algorithm?
What questions should boards ask when deploying…
Interview
Andrew White: “To deliver any kind of transformation, you need to put people at the heart of the process.”
Andrew White is a senior fellow in management…
Opinion
What if the Chancellor were an Anthropist?
An alternative Autumn statement from Mark Goyder.
Corporate governance
Governance Game Changers: spotlight on Catherine Sukmonowski, company secretary at Deliveroo
Catherine, a company secretary who’s worked on…
Interview
Tim Ward on organisational agility: “Governance itself doesn’t do anything, but it allows people to be their best.”
Tim Ward is the former CEO of the Quoted…
Opinion
Echoes of a better future
A reflection on the Anthropy conference 2023
ESG
How can boards align company success with the needs of the planet and society?
A discussion from non-executive directors around…
Opinion
Harvest economics
A sentimental throwback or idea whose time has…
Board effectiveness
What can a 1,400-year-old carpenter teach you about agility?
This company was agile enough to outlast the…
Interview
Bridget Rosewell: “Most CEOs tell me they have more experiences of boards that complicate things than of boards being effective.”
Bridget is chair of Atom bank and M6 Toll.
Corporate governance
How to kill your bureaucracy
Why do we need to bury our bureaucracy to make…
Interview
Paul Polman: “Being ‘less bad’ isn’t good enough anymore.”
Paul Polman, who helped develop the UN Global…
Opinion
What do we mean by growth and why do we want it?
Start with what helps people flourish.
Interview
Simon Devonshire on organisational agility: “Right now, the biggest risk for corporates is the risk of being boring.”
Simon is is a serial entrepreneur, the chair of…
Opinion
Education should broaden minds. Too often we are doing the opposite.
Leonardo da Vinci would be horrified.
Opinion
Kwasi Kwarteng’s growth “plan” — a twentieth-century response to twenty-first century challenges
The Chancellor’s speech turns us back to the 70s.
Board & management papers
Communication: the hard truth about this soft skill
If communication is so important, why are we so…
Opinion
Saving ESG requires a radical change in its definition of “governance”
Learn about the challenges facing ESG governance…
Interview
Serge Krancenblum on organisational agility: “The key isn’t asking ‘How do I make the right calls?’, it’s ‘How do I give others the right support for them to make the right calls?’”
Serge is the founder of IQ-EQ, one of the world’s…
Opinion
A little less wishful thinking, a little more listening, please
Running things isn’t governing.
Board effectiveness
Could Socrates have saved Kodak?
Why asking the right questions matters.
Regulation & compliance
The FCA’s Consumer Duty: Revolution, not evolution.
In July 2022, the FCA published the Consumer…
Interview
Clare Holt on organisational agility: “Your governance, too, should accelerate change.”
Clare Holt, head of corporate strategy at St.…
Corporate governance
Governance Game Changers: spotlight on Monica Pahwa
Monica Pahwa, Group Company Secretary at…
Events
What’s in a name? How the title “Company Secretary” underplays the significance of this evolving role.
The role of the company secretary is evolving.…
Interview
Fairer Future case study: Greg Turner-Smart
Greg Turner-Smart, Group Inclusion and Diversity…
Opinion
Chaos, crisis, and hope
Building a new manifesto for Britain.
Interview
Graham Singleton: “For the regulator, board packs ballooning with compliance can be seen as a canary in the coal mine.”
Graham Singleton is the CEO of National Friendly,…
Interview
Neil Hayward on organisational agility: “Innovation shouldn’t need to seek permission.”
Neil is a NED with a track record in agile…
Interview
Governance Game Changers: spotlight on Caroline Tolhurst
Caroline Tolhurst, NED, and Former Company…
Opinion
What DAOs teach us
Will crypto’s nonsense birth better governance?
ESG
Net or not?
Isabelle Green, Research Executive from the Board…
Events
What unexpected joy can be found from shorter board papers?
Shorter papers may be good for the board, but…
Opinion
Climate gloom — from chair action to share action
We can do more than glueing ourselves to chairs.
Interview
Orna NiChionna: “Boards remain the ultimate arbiter, but the frequency of their meetings has stopped being what determines how fast decisions can be made.”
Orna is SID of Burberry and Saga, and is a…
Think Tank
Leading the Change: Rachel Youngman
Rachel Youngman is the Deputy Chief Executive of…
Interview
The ExCo’s guide to shorter papers: Spotlight on Rachel Turk, Group Head of Strategy, Beazley
Rachel Turk, group head of strategy at Beazley,…
Interview
Gavin Hayes: “Nearly a quarter of boards do not even articulate the kind of culture they want.”
Read our conversation with Gavin Hayes, , Head of…
Opinion
How lazy labels about business purpose fuel the indignation industry
Polarisation poses tough choices for companies.
Interview
Michael Jary: “Chairs are rightly praised for developing collective purpose and building consensus, but if taken too far these inhibit challenge of the norms.”
Michael is chair of Duchy Originals and Itad, and…
Think Tank
Fairer Future Case Study: why TSB signed the Good Business Charter
Kate Osiadacz, head of responsible businesses at…
Corporate governance
Governance Game Changers: spotlight on Silvana Glibota-Vigo
Silvana Glibota-Vigo, Group Head of Secretariat…
Opinion
Stuart Kirk — a finance professional handicapped by his education
Fiduciary duty extends beyond finance.
Opinion
The bewilderment brew — how technology, privatisation and outsourcing combined can make life hard for customers
Hard-to-use products reflect insulated boards.
Interview
Ruth Handcock: “Having the discipline to talk about all stakeholders is not easy, but eventually it becomes second nature.”
Ruth is the CEO of Octopus Investments — a B Corp…
Think Tank
Fairer Future Case Study: Marnie Millard
Marnie Millard, chair of UA92, talks business and…
Opinion
What would make us proud of our country?
The Jubilee is a time to revisit our qualities.
Think Tank
Leading the Change: Sir Ken Olisa
Sir Kenneth is a technology business leader and…
Think Tank
Leading the Change: David Bennett
David Bennett chairs the boards of Virgin Money…
Interview
The ExCo’s guide to shorter papers: Spotlight on John Tonkiss, CEO, McCarthy Stone
John Tonkiss, CEO of McCarthy Stone, shares how…
Opinion
Trust and Russian money — time for the City to look in the mirror?
Can we be accused of wilful blindness?
Interview
Hanneke Smits: “You can’t react quickly enough if your modus operandi is just to escalate problems all the way to the board.”
Read our conversation with Hanneke Smits, CEO of…
Corporate governance
Governance Game Changers: spotlight on Shaun Coles
Shaun Coles, Global Director of Governance, Banco…
Events
Governance Game Changers: spotlight on our event panellists
Hear from Chris Taylor, company secretary at…
Opinion
The Madness, Let Alone Unfairness, of US Executive Pay
Share-price-driven pay is a dangerous game.
Board effectiveness
Are your board papers slowing you down?
The antidote to boardroom bottlenecking? Shorter,…
Opinion
What Will It Take To Get Companies to Care About the Next Generation?
Values-driven companies act ahead of the law.
Interview
Gavin Patterson: “As board information evolves, so will board members.”
Gavin is the president and chief revenue officer…
Think Tank
Leading the Change: Baroness Patience Wheatcroft
Baroness Patience Wheatcroft is a journalist,…
ESG
Too polite to make progress? Social mobility in the boardroom calls for a rude awakening
Is now the time for a review of social background…
Opinion
Football’s Ownership Problem: Empower the Fans
What can British clubs learn from a Swedish bank?
Events
How to help the board buy into your vision - the CEO event series
How can you get the “yes” from the board? This…
Interview
Danuta Gray: “One of the biggest changes has been the increased breadth of topics that must be discussed by the board.”
Read our conversation with Danuta Gray, chair at…
Opinion
Will You Lead With Algorithms, or Be Led by Them?
Sophisticated tools can easily become blunt…
Opinion
Master or Servant — A New Agenda for Teaching Business
Business is about profitably serving others.