By Shawn Cole, President and co-founder of Cowen Partners Executive Search There is a predictable moment in many boardrooms when the numbers get uncomfortable, and audit committee meetings run long. The tone between the CFO and the audit chair sharpens
When the CFO and Audit Chair Clash: How Boards Should Diagnose the Real Problem Read More »
The world of corporate governance is shifting beneath your feet. Business models that once evolved over years now transform in months. Advancements in artificial intelligence reshape competitive environments overnight. Regulators rewrite playbooks faster than boards can update charters. These changes
The Agile Board: Redefining Committees for Rapid Change Read More »
Stakeholders are more scrutinizing than ever, and businesses are facing increasing regulatory complexity. As a result, boards are under more pressure than ever to perform. Yet, even among sophisticated organizations, one option for board effectiveness remains underutilized: independent directors. Affiliated
Why Independent Board Members Could Be Your Organization’s Secret Weapon Read More »
The next time your board searches for a director with AI expertise, prepare for a sobering reality because the most qualified candidates are probably unavailable. Not because they lack interest in governance, but because they’re drowning in operational demands at
Empty Chairs at the AI Table: Why Recruiting the Right Directors Is Getting Harder Read More »
For decades, the corporate playbook was simple: find a brilliant legal mind, grant them the title of Chief Legal Officer or General Counsel, and task them with protecting the enterprise. That model is now obsolete. The expanding CLO mandate is
The “Legal Leadership Stack”: Building vs. Buying Your Next Generation Read More »
A quiet but critical schism is forming in corporate boardrooms. On one side sits the veteran corporate secretary, a 20-year company pillar whose deep institutional knowledge is suddenly being questioned as “administrative.” On the other, the high-powered external hire who
The Corporate Secretary’s Identity Crisis: Promoting From Within or Importing Talent? Read More »
Each year, boards approve confidential executive searches, believing they are exercising oversight in a routine manner. But what’s actually happening is that they’re creating material non-public information and potentially triggering disclosure obligations. Directors are also being exposed to personal liability.
Boardrooms buzz with succession talk, but the CHRO’s role in succession planning often gets pushed aside. This is a huge mistake, and it quickly breaks down how companies plan for the future. Most boards focus only on finding the next
Why Boards Can’t Afford to Sideline the CHRO in Succession Planning Read More »
Summary About 49% of directors want at least one director on their board replaced, and 25% would like to see multiple directors removed, according to recent surveys. Why? The reasons range from: The fact that board turnover rates for S&P
Difficult Conversations: What to Do When a Board Member Must Go Read More »
A Practical Guide to Board Leadership, Oversight & Accountability Whether you’re new to corporate governance or sharpening your boardroom perspective, this guide answers the most common and essential questions about how modern boards operate, make decisions, and lead organizations. These
Boardroom Governance FAQs Read More »
