Shaping the agenda

Insights, Events & News

Latest

FILTERS

  • Latest
  • All
  • Interview
  • Learning
  • Press
  • Think Tank
  • FT Column
  • Events
  • Case Study
  • Opinion
  • Leading the Change
  • Product Update
Think Tank
Kwasi Kwarteng’s growth “plan” — a twentieth-century response to twenty-first century challenges
The Chancellor’s speech turns us back to the 70s.
Learning
Communication: the hard truth about this soft skill
If communication is so important, why are we so…
Think Tank
Can ESG be saved? Only if it radically changes its definition of “governance”
ESG is a bundle of three tracks of analysis.
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…
Think Tank
A little less wishful thinking, a little more listening, please
Running things isn’t governing.
Learning
Could Socrates have saved Kodak?
Why asking the right questions matters.
Learning
The FCA’s Consumer Duty: revolution, not evolution.
In July 2022, the FCA published the Consumer…
Interview
Clare Holt on organisational agility: “Instilling a similar sense of urgency to what we saw throughout the Covid crisis is becoming a priority for businesses.”
Clare is head of corporate strategy at St.…
Learning
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on Monica Pahwa, Group Company Secretary at Scorpio
Evolve with changing times.
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.…
Think Tank
Fairer Future Case Study: Greg Turner-Smart
Greg Turner-Smart, Group Inclusion and Diversity…
Think Tank
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…
Learning
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on Caroline Tolhurst, NED, and Former Company Secretary at Grosvenor
Don’t be boxed into a “governance” corner.
Think Tank
What DAOs Teach Us
Will crypto’s nonsense birth better governance?
Think Tank
Net or not?
Isabelle Green, Research Executive from the Board…
Interview
What unexpected joy can be found from shorter board papers?
Shorter papers may be good for the board, but…
Think Tank
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.”
Gavin is head of policy & external affairs at the…
Think Tank
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 business at…
Learning
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on Silvana Glibota-Vigo, Group Head of Secretariat at Keller Group
Creating the right conditions for decisions to be…
Think Tank
Stuart Kirk — A Finance Professional Handicapped by His Education
Fiduciary duty extends beyond finance.
Think Tank
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…
Think Tank
What Would Make Us Proud of Our Country?
The Jubilee is a time to revisit our qualities.
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…
Think Tank
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.”
Hanneke is CEO of BNY Mellon Investment…
Learning
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on Shaun Coles, Global Director of Governance, Banco Santander
How to make governance a global, strategic asset.
Learning
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on our event panellists
Hear from Chris Taylor, company secretary at…
Think Tank
The Madness, Let Alone Unfairness, of US Executive Pay
Share-price-driven pay is a dangerous game.
Learning
Are your board papers slowing you down?
The antidote to boardroom bottlenecking is…
Think Tank
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,…
Think Tank
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…
Think Tank
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.”
Danuta is the chair at Direct Line Group and…
Think Tank
Culture — The Gaping Hole That Undermines B Corp’s Credibility
Certified B Corps can have toxic cultures. Why?
Opinion
Will You Lead With Algorithms, or Be Led by Them?
Sophisticated tools can easily become blunt…
Think Tank
Master or Servant — A New Agenda for Teaching Business
Business is about profitably serving others.
Case Study
Case Study — Sykes Cottages
View our Sykes Cottages client case study & see…
Interview
Vindi Banga: “People make or break your organisation, and they should be discussed every time you meet, not once a year.”
Vindi is the chair of UKGI and Marie Curie, as…
Think Tank
Leading the Change: Richard Burge
Richard Burge is chief executive of the London…
Think Tank
Lithuanian Chocolates and Global Shocks
What questions must boards ask in a warring world?
Interview
Ed Warner: “You need the right motivations to chair a sporting governing board — it’s far more than a bauble on your CV.”
Mark is the chair of GB Wheelchair Rugby, the…
Opinion
Culture — Are We Missing the Point?
Rethinking how we think about culture.
Learning
Want to impress the board with better papers? Try this.
How can you help report writers deliver the…
Think Tank
The High Road To Improved Productivity
Wealth creation requires more than higher public…
Think Tank
Leading the Change: Sir Brendan Barber
Sir Brendan Barber is deputy chair of the…
Think Tank
Yes to Levelling Up. No to Divisiveness and Ignoring Nature.
How can long-term focus be sustained?
Interview
Mark Winlow: “Nobody is nobody. How you interact with people is important.”
Mark is the chair of Mactavish, Novia Financial,…
Think Tank
Fresh Voices: The Benefit of Foresight
The new generation of workforce are highly aware…
Think Tank
Leading the Change: Stephen Welton
Stephen Welton was founder CEO of BGF and is now…
How to give the board more confidence in your plans
How can you provide the right balance of…
Think Tank
Stewardship — A Joint Responsibility That We Have Yet to Crack
Shareholders and directors share the same duty.
Think Tank
Fink Again
“Stakeholder” is an ambiguous term.
Learning
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on Deborah Gilshan, ESG Advisor and Founder of The 100% Club
The focus on transparent decision-making has…
Think Tank
How Do We Stop Organisations Doing Stupid Things?
Discomfort now can prevent stupidity later.
Use the ace up your sleeve for an agile 2022
Learn how to write papers that drive nimble,…
Think Tank
Has Private Equity Lost Its Way?
PE pioneers thought in terms of stewardship.
Interview
Sir Jan du Plessis: “If anyone at board level still thinks it’s not their job to tackle the tough questions asked by society, they’re delusional.”
Sir Jan is the former chair of BAT, Rio Tinto,…
Think Tank
Fairer Future Case Study: Louise Parkes
Louise Parkes, CEO of GOSH Charity, talks EDI…
Three items that should be on every board’s agenda in 2022
There’s no silver bullet for what 2022 has in…
Learning
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on Miranda Craig, Director of Strategy and Change, FRC
Miranda Craig — director of strategy and change…
Think Tank
What Is the Role of Business in Creating a Fairer Future?
The Think Tank 2021 inquiry’s findings are out.
Think Tank
Listening Is OK. Acting on What You’ve Heard Is Harder
If your organisational design sucks, what then?
Think Tank
Leading the Change: David Dickson
David Dickson chairs Family Business Matters,…
Think Tank
Leading the Change: Lord Bob Kerslake
Lord Bob Kerslake is the chair of Peabody and the…
Think Tank
Leading the Change: Sarah Flannigan
Sarah Flannigan chairs Riverford, Yeo Valley…
Think Tank
Guilty — of Reshaping Someone’s Mind?
Thinking through unintended consequences.
Events
In conversation with Ian Stuart, CEO HSBC UK
The HSBC CEO talks candidly about his experiences…
Learning
Governance Game Changers: Spotlight on Chris Taylor, Company Secretary at Young’s
Read how Chris Taylor, company secretary at…
Think Tank
More Foxes, Please
Why are our debates — and thinking — so narrow?
Interview
Susan Hooper: “If you’ve learned how to succeed in business, you’re capable of learning how to deal with this. So just get on with it.”
Susan is a co-founding director of Chapter Zero:…
Think Tank
Where’s the Pulse?
Our understanding of governance holds us back.
Think Tank
Governance — My Gut Instinct
Good governance comes in many forms.
Opinion
We don’t need a CEO salary cap to solve our inequality problem — here’s what we need to do instead
We don’t need to wait for a mandated CEO salary…
Think Tank
Make the Journey Your Own
Beyond “Don’t worry; everybody does it.”
Learning
Executive Summaries — your secret sauce for writing winning reports
How can you write Executive Summaries that set…
Events
Enabling growth - in conversation with Susanne Given, chair of Made.com
Susanne Given, chair of Made.com, shares her…
Think Tank
Our Better Nature?
Your board’s language can reveal its assumptions.
Interview
Sir Michael Rake: “You have to be violently calm during a crisis.”
In this interview, Sir Mike Rake shares his…
Think Tank
On Behalf of Which People?
Prioritise citizens, not consumer rights.
Interview
Andrew Kakabadse: “We’re punishing the boards that ask the tough questions — when that should be their raison d’être.”
Andrew is a professor of governance and…
Interview
David Roberts: “I want directors who bring their best self at board meetings; not just their smartest self.”
David is the chair of Beazley and Nationwide, as…
Think Tank
Stewardship Could Deliver What ESG Cannot. Here’s How
Fund managers aren’t croupiers.
Think Tank
Rebellion and the Boardroom
Will directors stand in the way of change?
Interview
André Zerafa: “Disagreeing isn’t the same as challenging.”
André is the managing partner of Ganado Advocates…
Learning
5 signs that your board deserves better technology
Thinking of improving your boardroom technology?…
Think Tank
ESG Isn’t a Noun; It’s an Adjective
Pigeonholing ESG will kill it.
Interview
Sir John Parker: “To effect change, the important thing is planting the flag.”
Sir John is the chair of Carnival Corporation and…
Think Tank
Stewardship’s Quiet Hero
Remembering Simon Fraser.
Interview
David Kelly: “A lot of businesses don’t know what their ESG north star is.”
David Kelly is chair and non-executive director…
Interview
Richard Meddings: “When you sign up to a board, you sign up for the challenges.”
Richard is the chair of TSB Bank, a NED of Credit…
Opinion
Better Judgement
A better approach to procurement is needed.
Think Tank
First Steps Towards a Wealth Creation Manifesto
Governing well the good governance regulator.
Interview
Tom Ilube: “Diversity and inclusion aren’t issues to tackle and forget, they’re tools to hone so you can win.”
Tom is the CEO of Crossword Cybersecurity, a NED…
Think Tank
A National Discomfort Policy
What does it take to make us feel unfairness?
Interview
Sir Andrew Likierman: What independent judgment truly means for boards
Sir Andrew Likierman reveals how boards can…
Think Tank
The Better Business Act — A Charter for Pie Splitters?
Success depends upon what gets added to the pie.
Think Tank
Architects or Plumbers? The Big Four’s ESG Dilemma
As they focus on ESG, where do EY et al. stand?
Interview
Jane Hanson: “Each individual contribution may be good on its own, but put them all together and it becomes a great symphony.”
Jane is the chair of the Reclaim Fund as well as…
Interview
Matthew Westerman: “Good mentors know how to listen — and, just as importantly, to teach that skill.”
Matthew is chair of the Imperial War Museums and…
Think Tank
ESG and the Lucrative Market for Salvation
Balancing self-interest with serving others.
Interview
Sir Peter Gershon: “Beware the shadow you cast in a senior role.”
Sir Peter is the former chair of National Grid…
Interview
Terri Duhon: “In a ‘K-shaped’ recovery, you need to know which part of the ‘K’ you’re on and how you got there.”
Terri is chair of Morgan Stanley Investment…
Interview
Lynne Berry: “Reports have a natural tendency to hide the warts, and that’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what the board does.”
Lynne is chair of the Human Tissue Authority and…
Learning
Is the Pen Still Mightier Than the Video Call? The Power of Good Business Writing
Writing can illuminate in a way that calls cannot.
Interview
Tom Colraine: “The chances of black swans don’t disappear, they just jostle for attention in our minds and agendas.”
Tom is chair of Marsh UK & Ireland.
Think Tank
From Hubris to Hybrid
Governance must reflect commitment.
Interview
John Allan: “Resist the urge to rush through the agenda — especially when the solution looks obvious.”
John is chair of Tesco and Barratt Developments,…
Think Tank
None of Us Can Outsource Our Consciences
Health & Safety and ESG have something in common.
Think Tank
There Is No Wealth But Life
How can economic policy transcend economics?
Think Tank
Greed, Super Leagues, and Sewage
When does short-termism become a public matter?
Interview
Keith Skeoch: “As chair, you’re the person that has the last vote — but it’s a failure if you have to use it.”
Keith is chair of the Aberdeen Standard…
Think Tank
Private Sector Smugness and an Entitlement Mentality
No business endures unless founded on integrity.
Interview
Sir Anthony Habgood: “You need everyone to take board meetings seriously, and your board material should reflect these expectations.”
Sir Anthony is chair of Preqin — a provider of…
Learning
4 Tips for a Powerful CEO Board Report
Great CEO’s reports answer “What’s on my mind?”
Learning
How To Describe the Health of Your Business on One Page
Our top tips to distil it down to one side of A4.
Interview
William Harris: “Leaders who manage with compassion get better results, it’s scientifically documented.”
William is president and CEO of Space Center…
Interview
Manon Antoniazzi: “A good board meeting is one that charts a path.”
Manon is chief executive and clerk of the Senedd…
Interview
Jonathan Klahr: “The ripple effect of an improvement in the boardroom will be felt far and wide.”
Jonathan is managing director of Susquehanna…
Interview
Lord Victor Adebowale: “When plans go flying out the window the way they did in 2020, all that’s left to guide you are your values.”
Lord Victor is chair and co-founder of…
Interview
Mark Humphries: “It’s the chair’s job to encourage NEDs to lean in and not expect the executives to have all the answers.”
Mark is chair of Vendigital, Wheelhouse Advisors,…
Interview
Wrapping Up 2020
Inspiring insight from leaders in a strange year.
Learning
How To Embed Stakeholders Into Your Board’s Decision-Making
There are four questions your board should ask.
Learning
Stakeholder Reporting — How To Identify & Present the Metrics That Matter
Reporting starts with finding the right metrics.
Learning
Getting Stakeholders in the Board Agenda — and Keeping Them There
Put stakeholders in the agenda, not on it.
Interview
Alison Munro: “It’d be a waste to simply go back to old habits.”
Alison is chair of the National College for…
Case Study
Mill Hill School - Enabling Effective Decision-Making in Challenging Times
Find out how Board Intelligence supported Mill…
Interview
Angela Lockwood: “You can’t simply tell managers, ‘From Monday on, you’ll trust your staff more.’”
Angela is CEO of North Star Housing Group, as…
Interview
Paul Lester: “If you’ve been thinking of trying something new, this is the time to do it.”
Paul is chair of McCarthy & Stone and Essentra,…
Learning
Purpose and Why It Needs To Guide All Decision-Making
Erika Percival from leading governance…
Interview
Helen White: “Why are we here in the first place?”
Helen is CEO of Taff Housing Association, as well…
Case Study
Stowe Family Law — Driving Focused Board Conversations
Find out how Stowe Family Law used Board…
Interview
Douglas van den Aardweg: “As boards we shouldn’t be waiting for Government to tell us what to do.”
Douglas is chair of HSBC Life UK and Daiwa…
Events
Black Lives and the Board
Champions of equality share their views on what…
Interview
Martin Gilbert: “The days of autocratic leadership are over.”
Martin is chair of Revolut and senior independent…
Learning
Stakeholder Reporting & Section 172: What Can Board Directors Do?
What actions can board directors take now to meet…
Interview
Justine Campbell: “Company secretaries can be nervous exercising their authority, but they have the mandate to make things better.”
Justine is Group General Counsel and Company…
Events
If Cash is King Again, Who Comes Next?
In conversation with John Elkington, Richard…
Learning
Virtual Boards: Seize the Silver Lining Before the Cloud Is Gone
88% of boards think e-meetings can better them.
Interview
John Elkington: “We must move from incremental solutions to exponential ones.”
John is a world authority on corporate…
Events
In Conversation With James Emmett: Decision-Making in Radical Uncertainty
We ask former HSBC CEO, James Emmett, how times…
Learning
How Subsidiary Boards Can Conquer Decision-Making Power Struggles
Where does true decision-making power lie in a…
Learning
Virtual Board Meetings: A Once-in-a-Career Opportunity To Shine
Why you should approach virtual board meetings as…
Interview
Glen Moreno: “Confident chairs aren’t afraid to tell management ‘You’re not providing information, just numbers.’”
Glen is a director and former CEO of Fidelity…
Learning
Five Cybersecurity Mistakes in the Virtual Boardroom
What to know now that board papers aren’t paper.
Learning
Security in the Virtual Boardroom
Cybersecurity experts’ tips to keep meetings safe.
Learning
How Uncertain Is the Future and What Does It Mean for Decision-Making?
How do we make smart decisions in times when…
Learning
Why Collaboration Tools Can’t Replace a Board Portal
What are the limitations of using collaboration…
Learning
Navigating a Crisis: What’s the Board of Directors’ Role?
What is the role of the board of directors in…
Events
In Conversation with Ben Mathews: Thriving in Times of Adversity
Ben Mathews, Group Company Secretary of BP, talks…
Opinion
An Argument for Compassion
Competitive advantages follow benevolence.
Events
Offshore Governance, On Track for Change
Crown dependencies are adapting to new challenges.
Learning
Reporting on External Developments, in 90 Seconds
How do you report on what’s outside your control?
Learning
Tips for Taking Minutes in a Virtual Meeting
Minute-taking isn’t easy at the best of times.
Opinion
The Virus Putting Boards Under the Microscope
Covid-19 forces directors to change their ways.
Interview
Golden Rules From the Charity Boardroom
Charity chairs share the rules they live by.
Interview
Sharon Thorne: “Companies will have little choice but to include societal responsibilities at the heart of their strategies.”
Sharon is chair of the Deloitte Global Board of…
Learning
How Should School Governors Prioritise Their Priorities?
Why setting out the right priorities is more…
Opinion
Tackling the Housing Crisis Starts With Tackling the Good Governance Crisis
How effective governance and discussion in the…
Learning
5 Steps to Board Meeting Enlightenment in PE-Backed Companies — Part Ⅴ
Step 5: keep the data simple!
Interview
Matthew Parker: “The aspiration has to be that the executives attend board meetings because they get something from it.”
Matthew Parker is CEO of Babble, an LDC-backed…
Interview
David Bennett: “When boards don’t articulate the value their businesses bring to stakeholders, the world ends up not seeing it.”
David is chair of Ashmore Group, the investment…
Interview
Martin Temple: “My first priority is ensuring the board gives the executives the resources to get the job done.”
Martin is chair of the Health and Safety…
Learning
UK Asset Managers: The FCA Aren’t Just Saying “Jump!”, They’ve Also Told You How High
The FCA’s letter to Asset Management CEOs calls…
Opinion
A Sports Team: If You Own It, Do You Really Want to Run It?
The tension between passion projects and good…
Product Update
Introducing Agenda Planner
We are delighted to announce the launch of Agenda…
Learning
FRC’s Review of the UK Corporate Governance Code: Give a Damn or Be Damned
The FRC criticises companies for “box-ticking”…
Opinion
Your Boardroom Team Talk
What Manchester City’s victory over Manchester…
Learning
Agenda Planning — Are You Prioritising Your Priorities?
Successful meetings start long before you meet.
Interview
60 Seconds With… Stuart Layzell
Get boardroom insights, tips, & rules for…
Events
What Boards Could Learn From…
Seven speakers, who are neither typical business…
Interview
Phillip Ullmann: “Businesses need to generate profit, that’s obvious, but we have to ask: ‘To what end?’”
Phillip is chief energiser at Cordant Group, the…
Events
Decision-Making and Boards
Our final Think Tank topic of 2019 was led by the…
Learning
5 Steps to Board Meeting Enlightenment in PE-Backed Companies — Part Ⅳ
How to articulate clear questions for the…
Interview
60 Seconds With… Jenny Davies
Get boardroom insights, tips, & rules for…
Learning
5 Ways to Disrupt “Business As Usual”
Follow our 5 tips on using boardroom disruption…
Events
Culture and Values: Meaningful or Meaningless?
“How the CEO behaves overrides all cultural…
Interview
60 Seconds With… Andy Bord
Get boardroom insights, tips, & rules for…
Interview
60 Seconds With… Jon Andrew
Get boardroom insights, tips, & rules for…
Opinion
Board Members: Last-Chance Climate Saviours?
What can corporate boards do to consider their…
Opinion
Immune to Feedback? What NHS Governance Can Learn From Medicine
Why NHS governance teams should face feedback,…
Opinion
Economic ADHD? The Board Will See You Now
The board may be an old-fashioned tool, but it…
Interview
60 Seconds With… Robert Welch
Get boardroom insights, tips, & rules for…
Interview
60 Seconds With… Baroness Patience Wheatcroft
Get boardroom insights, tips, & rules for…
Learning
5 Steps to Board Meeting Enlightenment in PE-Backed Companies — Part Ⅲ
How to write a CEOs’ report for portfolio…
Interview
60 Seconds With… Mike Walsh
Get boardroom insights, tips, & rules for…
Opinion
Tough Debates Ahead? Just Cancel the Board
Proroguing Parliament will lead to worse outcomes.

What you need to know, when you need to know it

Register for our newsletter to get a monthly compilation of our latest chair interviews, governance research, and upcoming webinars and events, along with weekly round-ups of the top news that matter to board members.

Register
Close