Boards adding value and defending reputation in great turbulence
Much of our established management thinking is based on companies operating in a steady state environment, or one of incremental change. But businesses are increasingly facing extraordinary disruptions and there is growing pressure for greater accountability in how leaders address these issues. The need for boards to steward, provide moral boundary and defend reputation is evident.
Based on a global study conducted by Andrew Kakabadse, Professor of Governance & Leadership at Henley Business School, many boards are not equipped to deal with extraordinary disruptions and are often found to be unaligned with their management team. Instead of having their finger on the pulse, they emerge as out of touch with lacking leadership by the chairman.
Yet the global study identified outstanding boards and top teams. In this event, we will share the major findings of the global study, compare those to insights from a local study executed by Boyden Finland and explore what makes extraordinary boards and top teams stand out.
Agenda
| 16:00 | Welcome words |
| 16:05 | Boards adding value and defending reputation in great turbulence, a global view Professor Andrew Kakabadse, Professor of Governance & Leadership, Henley Business School At times of ever greater turbulence how to enhance and defend reputation is a central concern. As the potent determinant of share price and trust in the entity the question that remains is whether the guardianship of reputation can be entrusted to the board? Drawing on international research this session explores the capability of boards to effectively oversee the organisation under their care. |
| 16:30 | How do boards add value at times of great turbulence, Finnish insights Carita Lahti, Managing Partner, Boyden Finland Jan Gustafsson, Managing Partner, Boyden Finland Based on local and international studies we explored the ways boards in Finland reacted to exceptional turbulence in the environment in early 2020 and again in 2022. Which immediate actions were taken by the boards, which new practices were developed and which of them have been maintained since? Which changes were made in the board structure or composition? Discussion about experiences and learnings with: Annika Paasikivi, CEO, Oras Invest Oy Nora Hortling, Vice Chairman of the board, Olvi Oyj |
| 17:20 | Closing comment and introducing the Henley Certificate in Board Practice and Directorship Professor Andrew Kakabadse, Professor of Governance & Leadership, Henley Business School Dr Nadeem Khan, Programme Director of the MA Board Practice and Directorship, Henley Business School |
| 17:30 | Networking with drinks and canapés |
| 18:00 | Closure |
Registration to this event is closed.
Speakers
Professor Andrew Kakabadse
Andrew has undertaken global studies spanning over 20,000 organisations (in the private, public and third sector) and 41 countries. His research focuses on the areas of board performance, governance, leadership and policy. He has published 45 books and over 250 scholarly articles, including bestselling books The Politics of Management, Working in Organisations, The Success Formula and Leadership Intelligence: The 5Qs. Andrew has consulted among others for the British, Irish, Australian and Saudi Arabian governments, as well as Bank of America, BMW, Lufthansa, Swedish Post and numerous other organisations. He has acted as an advisor to several UN agencies, the World Bank, charities, and health and police organisations.
Jan Gustafsson
Jan has an outstanding leadership background including nearly 20 years’ experience leading international organisations, both public and private equity-owned, in various functions: operations, HR, sales, IT, strategy and business development. His first-hand understanding of the importance of key personnel, particularly in growth and change management, enhances his ability to form relationships with clients and provide effective talent solutions. Jan has deep expertise in strategic C-level and board recruiting, locally and globally, as well as board and leadership team assessment and development.
Carita Lahti
Carita has over 20 years of experience in Finnish and international board and C-level executive search, board and leadership review and development. Her client portfolio includes national and international organizations of all sizes, including publicly listed corporations, family-owned, private equity and venture capital -owned businesses. She brings a flexible, more creative mindset to businesses seeking transformational leaders who can motivate diverse teams to enhance business in a new digital era. Carita is a board member of Boyden World Corporation and a member of Boyden’s Consumer & Retail, Industrial and CEO & Board Practices.
Dr Nadeem Khan
Nadeem’s focus is on boards, top team dynamics, strategic behaviour, governance innovation and resilience of organisations for sustainability across the private, public and third sectors. He is a lecturer in governance, policy and leadership and the Programme Director of the MA in Board Practice and Directorship. Nadeem completed his PhD research on the strategic behaviour of firms at Henley Business School. Prior to this, he gained more than ten years’ professional experience in the UK and internationally and was managing director of his own business.
