How Boards Work: And How They Can Work Better In A Chaotic World is the latest book by keynote speaker and renowned economist Dambisa Moyo.
Geopolitics, economics and social norms are shifting rapidly, and trust in corporations has eroded.
As a result, boards and corporations are facing an unprecedented array of challenges. But Dambisa argues that corporations can play a hugely positive role in society, and as such her intention with the book is to lay out “an array of reforms…to create strong, independent, diverse, technologically savvy, and socially responsible boards” that serve not just guardians of a single organisation, but also of humanity’s wellbeing as a whole.
The book examines in-depth…
(1) The board’s responsibility for:
- Long term planning and strategic direction.
- Selection of the CEO and new board members, and monitoring their performance.
- Corporate culture. This can include everything from fair pay, diversity and inclusion, environmental concerns and social matters.
(2) The new range of headwinds that boards have to face in an increasingly complex and volatile world, such as:
- Providing oversight in an era of unprecedented technological change.
- Increasing investor activism.
- Geopolitical risks tending towards isolationism, protectionism and de-globalisation.
- Increasing global competition for talent.
(3) Specific proposals for making boards fit-for-purpose to tackle 21st century challenges:
- Boards should have more influence on corporate strategy.
- Boards should put more emphasis on a prospective CEO’s ethics and moral compass when selecting them.
- It should become standard practice for boards to have committees dealing specifically with ethics.
For more information on Dambisa Moyo’s keynote speaking topics and fees, contact Leo von Bülow-Quirk at leo@vbqspeakers.com.