The Better Boards Podcast Series Living with Uncertainty: The Importance of Transformation, Culture, and Talent
In recent years, transformation skills have become increasingly important at the board level, with culture and talent rising high on the agenda. Yet, there’s still a noticeable absence of HR professionals in the boardroom. Why?
In this episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series, Dr. Sabine Dembkowski speaks with Devyani P. Vaishampayan, Remco Chair and NED at Norman Broadbent Plc and Supply Chain Coordination Limited, and Independent NED on the Audit Board of ForvisMazars. Devyani is a Fellow at Chapter Zero and a Board Mentor with Critical Eye. She recently exited her AI Innovation Hub, having spent seven years advising corporates on AI, leadership, and the future of work. Before that, she was a global FTSE 30 CHRO with a 30-year career leading complex, multi-billion-dollar organisations.
“It’s still quite rare to find HR professionals on the board… There’s a perception that HR lacks commercial acumen.”
Devyani argues that HR leaders can earn their place at the board table by showing strong business insight—understanding financials, customer impact, and strategic goals. This may involve gaining broader experience outside HR or pursuing entrepreneurial ventures to deepen their perspective.
“Everyone’s talking about AI, but very few realise how fast the change is happening.”
Boards have always dealt with change, but today’s pace, especially with AI and geopolitical shifts, is unprecedented. AI adds speed to transformation and presents both opportunity and risk. Boards must understand their potential while managing risks like bias, data privacy, and employee trust. Devyani warns against overregulation and urges boards to take a more informed, proactive approach.
“Boards need to lead more in culture and talent—and be hands-on.”
According to Devyani, high-performing boards do three things well:
- Engage specialists in culture and transformation to support the executive team.
- Stay connected by engaging directly with employees—some boards spend two days in open forums to better understand workforce sentiment.
- Lead by example, especially board chairs, who should champion values and culture, not just delegate to the executive team.
“Boards need to act as mentors to the executive team.”
While some executives prefer boards to be hands-off, Devyani believes informed boards should act as sounding boards. Chairs can match board members with executives for mentoring, creating deeper support systems without overwhelming either side. Cross-committee conversations and subcommittees can also foster this dynamic.
Top 3 Takeaways for effective boards:
- HR leaders—like CFOs—interact closely with boards and should use that access to build trust and position themselves for future board roles.
- Broaden your skill set. Go beyond your core function to become more valuable and board-ready.
- Get hands-on with AI. Understand its real-world implications for making informed decisions as a board member.
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