Enter the Boardroom with Nurole 119. Jurga Zilinskiene MBE: Building scale-up boards
Apr 23, 2025
Jurga Zilinskiene, a leading AI thinker and founder of multiple successful businesses, discusses the transformative power of boards in her entrepreneurial journey. She shares insights on how her board has added value and shaped strategy, especially in navigating the challenges of AI integration. Jurga emphasizes the need for diverse perspectives in boardrooms and outlines effective recruitment processes for non-executive directors. Additionally, she explores the importance of strategic geographic focus and how adaptive boards can drive growth.
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Early Informal Advisors' Impact
- Jurga initially had informal advisors who functioned as an unofficial board, providing valuable input early on.
- She realized formalizing this board relationship earlier would have added more systematic strategic value to her business.
Use Board for Strategy Only
- Treat your board as a source of strategic advice, not operational support.
- Use your board for blue sky thinking to gain critical direction and avoid becoming stale.
Mentor's Lesson on Leadership
- A mentor once challenged Jurga's frustration with people not doing as told by urging her to grow as a leader.
- This shifted her perspective on managing people and helped her engage her team better.
