The Better Boards Podcast Series

Send us a textI can not recall a single board evaluation nor a single event I attended in Pre-Covid times where the need for challenge in the boardroom was not stressed. At the same time, I know from hundreds of interviews with members of boards how hard it really is to challenge constructively. Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, Dr Sabine Dembkowski speaks with Professor Karthik Ramanna.Professor Ramanna is Professor of Business & Public Policy and Director of the Master of Public Policy Program at the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government.Prof Ramanna recently produced a study for one of the Big 4 Audit firms entitled 'Building a culture of challenge in audit firms.' Lessons from this report can be applied to building a culture of challenge in the boardroom.Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with insiders that have a seat on the table and those that provide professional services about topics that rank high on the agenda of boards.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textRecent board evaluations have laid bare how much Covid-19 has accelerated the digitisation and transformation of organisations.  Independent of the industry and independent of the country boards realise that they need different skills and behavioural traits in order realise their strategic ambitions. I thought that it is a good time to hear from two board search professionals what it takes and get a seat on the table and what dilemmas boards face.  Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, Dr Sabine Dembkowski speaks with Carol Leonard and Angela Hocter of the Inzito Partnership.The Inzito Partnership is the UK's leading boutique executive search firm and Carol and Angela have been working together in the recruitment space for over 25 years.Carol Leonard is CEO and Head of the Board Practice at the Inzito Partnership. She specialises in the recruitment of Chairmen, Chief Executives, Non-Executive Directors, Finance Directors, General Counsel and other main Board roles. Carol’s prowess and hands-on approach has contributed to her being dubbed the ‘doyenne of boardroom headhunters’ by the Financial Times.Angela Hocter is Head of Research at the Inzito Partnership. Previously she led the research function within the Board Practice at Whitehead Mann. She was a director of Leonard Hull International before its acquisition in April 2004. She started her search career at Norman Broadbent where she spent four years, having previously worked with a French management consultancy based in Paris and London.Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with insiders that have a seat on the table and those that provide professional services about topics that rank high on the agenda of boards.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textCovid-19 is causing economic havoc around the globe but the impact is different and depends on the industry. In this podcast we examine the impact the pandemic had on boardrooms of VC-backed organisations. I am delighted to bring our listeners a view from the frontline from  one of the most active VCs in the UK. Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, Dr Sabine Dembkowski talks to Alexander Leigh.  Alex is Investment Manager in one of the most active Venture Capital Firms in the UK. As part of his role, Alex sits on the board of young Tech companies that receive funding from the bank. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with insiders that have a seat on the table and those that provide professional services about topics that rank high on the agenda of boards.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us on info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textIn this episode, Chris McColgan, Managing Editor of the Business Scout, steps in as host to speak to Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards about "Creating Effective Boards,  the Seven Hallmarks of Effective Boards"A lot has been said about the increasing challenges boards face – from governing an organisation through the pandemic to disruptive technologies, shifting demographics and geopolitical risks. Corporate failures have brought the importance of well-functioning and effective boards more to the fore. Dr Dembkowski is credited with having created the Seven Hallmarks of Effective boards, a framework for building more effective boards.Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with insiders that have a seat on the table and those that provide professional services about topics that rank high on the agenda of boards.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us on info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textMany of our clients say early on in our discussions that they do have an aligned board. However, when we walk into the boardroom with high expectations of a relatively smooth board evaluation process, we usually find - usually during the one-to-one interviews we conduct - that there are deep and significant gaps in consensus.  With the pace of change dominating the agenda, it is unrealistic to expect every member of the board is on the same page. Still, unless the board is truly aligned, one cannot hope to align the rest of the organisation behind a strategic journey or a transformation programme.  In this episode, Dr Sabine Dembkowski talks to Rich Berens, CEO and President at Root, Inc and author of "What are your Blind Spots."As CEO and Chief Client Fanatic, Rich Berens has had the opportunity to lead Root Inc. and its artists, designers, researchers, programmers, and MBAs in creating breakthrough approaches to change that have reached millions of people around the world.  Rich is a frequent author, thought leader, and speaker on leadership, transformation, and how to create lasting change. Rich’s latest project is a book called What Are Your Blind Spots?  that he co-authored with Root’s founder, Jim Haudan. It focuses on five key blind spots preventing leaders from effectively leading their organizations and engaging their people.Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with insiders that have a seat on the table and those that provide professional services about topics that rank high on the agenda of boards.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us on info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textA wide range of perspectives in the boardroom is critical to effective corporate governance. Multiple views on the possible outcomes of any action makes for a decision-making process that is more likely to take into account the various risks, consequences and implications of possible actions. Progress has been made in recent years and for example gender diversity has increased. We now see a shift and realisation that diversity is more complex and what really is needed is to go beyond the labels and achieve cognitive diversity. In this podcast I am delighted to talk with Stephen Page Head of the EMEA Board Engagement at the NASDAQ Centre for Board Excellence about Board Performance & Cognitive Diversity in the Boardroom.Stephen is is Head of EMEA Board Engagement, Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence. He has been a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute for over 25 years. During his career, Stephen has acted as director, corporate secretary, head of legal, and independent advisor for many UK and non-UK public and private companies, including professional service firms, multinationals and a UK development capital concern. Stephen established his own successful corporate compliance services business in the early 2000s, which was eventually sold to a Hong Kong Bank. In recent years, Stephen has spoken on many governance topics at a number of international conferences.Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with insiders that have a seat on the table and those that provide professional services about topics that rank high on the agenda of boards.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us on info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textAround the world, governments are struggling to address the immediate and long-term impacts of the pandemic. Governments are supporting key industries at an unprecedented level. Questions emerge about the role government representatives and politicians should play when an organisation receives public funds. We thought that it is a good time to contribute to the dialogue with a conversation about politicians in the boardroom and ask provocatively can they value or are they a nuisance? Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Carwyn Jones, the former first minister of Wales.Carwyn Jones trained as a barrister and was in the legal practice before becoming the First Minister of Wales. As First Minister, he was responsible for a budget of £16bn a year and led a government that introduced landmark legislation. He led bids to bring companies such as Aston Martin and CAF to Wales and the expansion of organisations like Airbus, GE and General Dynamics, led the team that brought the Champions League Final to Wales, the Rugby Union and League World Cups and Ashes Tests. Recently, Carwyn joined the law and criminology department at Aberystwyth University on a part-time basis, stepping down from his role as an assembly member in 2021.Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with insiders that have a seat on the table and those that provide professional services about topics that rank high on the agenda of boards.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us on info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a text“The board should establish the company’s purpose, values and strategy, and satisfy itself that these and its culture are aligned. All directors must act with integrity, lead by example and promote the desired culture.” Corporate Governance Codes around the globe are clear and yet the root cause of many corporate failures points to a toxic culture. It is one thing to write down on paper and another to make it happen in the boardroom. Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Alison Platt about Post-pandemic challenges: Purpose, values, strategy and cultural alignment.I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with those that service boards about topics that are ranked high on the agenda.Alison is on the Board of Tesco (FTSE 50), ‘Dechra’ (FTSE150) and Spectrum Life and is Chair of Legal & General’s business, LGFA. She is an advisor to Huntswood. She was previously on the board of Cable & Wireless Communications, Bupa Arabia, Max Bupa India and the FCO. She received a CMG in 2011. Alison was CEO of Countrywide plc between September 2014 and January 2018. Prior to that, she spent over twenty years in healthcare and financial services with Bupa. Alison is a member of the steering group of the Hampton Alexander Review and was previously the Chair of 'Opportunity Now’.How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textSocial studies provide clear evidence that more diverse boards are more effective. Organisations that are governed by more diverse boards are less likely to get embroiled in scandals and are financially more successful. The business case is very clear and yet diversity is all but the start. What counts is the integration of people in the boardroom of different gender, different race, different colour, different religion and different background. Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Yetunde Hofmann about Post-pandemic challenges: Integration – the elephant in the boardroom?I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the months, I speak with those that service boards about topics that are ranked high on the agenda.Yetunde is a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the People, Culture and Remuneration Committee at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) where she is also Champion for the Middle East.  She is a Non-Executive Director of Treatt Plc, and a member of their Audit, Remuneration and Nominations Committees.  She is a Board Trustee at the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE), Board Trustee and Chair of the People, Culture and Remuneration committee of The Education Development Trust, a Visiting Fellow at University of Reading’s Henley Business School and a Board Mentor at Criticaleye, the peer to peer Board level Community. How can we help you and your board? We at Better Boards are delighted to hear from you. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.

Send us a textMany directors at the beginning of their directorial career often worry that they will not make the impact they want or that they expect to make. This trend is more pronounced with directors who are women and those from a minority background. But how can new board members find their voice in the boardroom?Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. In this podcast, I am delighted to speak to Orna NiChionna. Orna spent 18 years at McKinsey’s London office, where she was the first woman to be elected partner. Since leaving McKinsey she has served on many boards including Bupa, HMV and Royal Mail. She has been an advisor to Apax LLP and to EdenMcCallum LLP. She is currently on the boards of Burberry and Saga and is Chair of Founders Intelligence. She was Chair of the Soil Association for 6 years and is currently Deputy Chair of the National Trust. How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at info@better-boards.com. If you would like to become part of the Better Boards community, learn about our distinctive approach and explore opportunities to work with us or contribute to The Better Boards podcast series, get in touch at info@better-boards.com. We love to hear from you.