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  • Published on

    Announcement: Taking Boardcraft to the world!

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    Regular readers know I am “all in” when it comes to corporate governance and strategic leadership, to help boards of directors realise the full potential of the organisations they govern. The calling has seen me travel extensively for many years now, in response to requests to deliver keynote talks and guest lectures, assess board effectiveness, undertake confidential advisories, and more besides, in places as varied as Vienna and Vilnius, Brisbane and Barcelona, Singapore and San Francisco, Coventry and Cape Town, ​New York and Nairobi, and, of course, at home in New Zealand. ​
    Over the past few years, I have fielded an increasing number of requests, from both aspiring and established directors frustrated by cookie-cutter approaches and ‘best practice’ recommendations, to package my accumulated expertise into a workshop format, to enable groups of directors to invest a day or two to explore modern approaches to board governance, and increase the likelihood of achieving and sustaining high organisational performance—all in a Chatham House Rule environment. ​
    I’ve heard these calls, and am thrilled to announce “Boardcraft: The essence of high-performing boards”, a learning programme curated specifically to supercharge ambitious boards, to get to the next level and beyond.
    Yes, you read that correctly. During 2026, Boardcraft will be on the road, travelling to you! ​
    Available in one- and two-day formats, for intimate groups of up to 30 directors, this practical programme is underpinned by world-class insights from global research, and taking into account emerging themes and practical experiences garnered over several decades. Boards are welcome to request an exclusive programme too. Every programme will be delivered by me, in person. Every participant will receive a detailed reference booklet and a certificate of participation that can be used for professional development purposes.
    Expect to explore the following themes and more, in a highly-interactive format, with real-world case studies to lock in newfound insights. Expect to be challenged too!
    • Foundations: What matters, and why?
    • Characteristics of high-performing boards
    • Frameworks for better outcomes
    • The board’s role in strategy
    • Boardroom dynamics
    • Board leadership
    • Practicalities
    Want to know more? Get in touch today. Enquiries from individuals wanting to register for a programme, and from boards wanting to schedule a dedicated session, are most welcome. And, if you are interested in hosting a programme, I would be delighted to hear from you too.
  • Published on

    Preparing for board meetings: how?

    Accountability Artificial Intelligence Corporate Governance Decision Making Director Development Governance Value Creation
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    The ways board directors prepare for board meetings is changing. Gone are the days when most directors simply turn up for the meeting, open the supplied packs and rely on their instinct as they sit through presentations by management (read: work it out on the fly). Most directors these days are well-intentioned, having diligently read papers before the meeting (having received them via a portal tool, PDF stack or thick package of printed materials). Some of these directors augment their reading with additional enquiries, in an effort to fill in blanks or formulate suitable questions to ask during the meeting. Though a small coterie still rely on their instinct to listen carefully and discern in real-time (read: work it out on the fly, during the board meeting), the world is moving on, and rapidly so. The emergence of AI assistants is proving a boon for smart directors: they are embracing a new generation of tools to enhance their preparation—on the basis that better preparation is an antecedent of better decisions. 
    Preparation takes time, of course, and many directors say,  "It'd be fine if I had the time." My response is curt: "Given the duties you owe, and the importance of governing with impact, what else might be more important than preparing well?"
    In the spirit of collegial learning, how useful are Shekshnia and Yakubovich's insights, and how are you using AI to augment your board meeting preparations (if at all)? Please comment below.
  • Published on

    Are we prepared to govern AI?

    Accountability Artificial Intelligence Corporate Governance Ethics Guest Post Performance Sustainability Value Creation
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    Guest blog: Dr. Cletus Kadzirange (GBS Oxford University, United Kingdom)
    By now, almost everyone has heard that artificial intelligence is revolutionising the commercial world. In addition to creating customer insights and automating procedures, it offers advice on hiring, pricing, and medical diagnosis. Around board tables, the atmosphere is frequently positive—AI is quick, intelligent, and full of potential. 
    While boards are positive about possibilities, are they prepared to govern AI?
    This is a governance question, not a technological one. The most progressive boards are starting to realise that monitoring AI requires far more than a digital strategy, because AI has the potential to affect reputation, social license, compliance, ethics, brand, and more besides. Questions boards should consider centre on accountability, transparency and long-term risk management:
    • Who is at fault when AI fails? This is a question of accountability. Apple's credit card algorithm made headlines in 2021, when it was revealed it gave women much lower credit limits than men with comparable financial backgrounds. Apple blamed its banking partner, Goldman Sachs. Regardless of who is at fault, boards cannot afford to wash their hands. Instead, they need to lean in, consider who is responsible for the performance and outputs of the AI systems and satisfy themselves everything is OK. Before systems behave in unpredicted ways (and they will), boards should check escalation processes and remedial procedures. Accountability is not about assigning blame, but about having foresight, to not only minimise the possibility of unintended outcomes but also respond well. The best companies embed clear accountability lines and practices during the design and implementation of AI systems, to facilitate good governance responses downstream.
    • Is it possible to see inside the black box? This is a question of transparency. Understanding AI's conclusions can be a challenge, even for the people who designed and trained the system! However, businesses that cannot explain the workings of their AI systems are coming under great pressure from consumers and authorities who want greater openness. Consider COMPAS, the system used by US courts to determine recidivism risk when sentencing criminals. Investigative journals discovered the system was skewed against black defendants. When challenged, the corporation that built the system refused to reveal the inner workings, citing trade secrets. Predictably, public disapproval and general suspicion rose sharply. The lesson here is that transparency is a reputational issue as much as a technological one. Boards should ensure management understands how AI systems work, and that credible non-technical explanations are available if required.
    • Are we ready for the new wave of regulation? This is a question of long-term risk. Regulation of AI is advancing rapidly. The Artificial Intelligence Act, which was ratified by the EU in March 2024, established stringent requirements for high-risk systems. A Presidential Executive Order signed in October 2023 moved the US in a similar direction. Provisions such as these expose businesses that cannot exhibit moral AI practices to the risk of fines, legal action and, even, system usage prohibitions. Boards can get ahead of the regulatory curve by regularly reviewing their AI policies against current and proposed regulations, and by calling for reports to confirm that systems are fair in use. 
    AI is no longer a back-office technology. Already, it has emerged as an important enabler, influencing operational, strategic and reputational performance. Consequently, boards that ignore AI as someone else's problem may be blindsided. Boards need to ask questions to ensure AI literacy is adequate, risks have been well-assessed and that governance practices are fit-for-purpose. This is not a matter of dreading the unknown: it is about providing effective steerage and guidance.
    Has your board discussed AI governance in a genuine, systematic way yet? It not, it might be time to get started.
    About Dr. Cletus Kadzirange:
    Cletus is a pracademic in corporate governance and company law who consults, trains and writes on various aspects of corporate law, directors' duties and governance. His specific expertise lies in implementing forward-thinking governance frameworks and sustainable practices that foster long-term value and ethical stewardship.