INSEAD Directors Forum - Talent and Remuneration Governance for Impact

The global talent market is undergoing major shifts as we journey into the post-pandemic world undermined by current geopolitical tensions. From hybrid working arrangements to forging purpose-driven organisations through organisational redesign, the global health crisis has accelerated the search for alignment between individual and organisational purpose.  The focus on ESG issues has gained grounds and the criticism, in some cases, of top executives being “rewarded” while failing on their leadership responsibility has increased scrutiny on how boards of directors are responding in terms of talent and remuneration governance.

More than ever, stakeholders are calling for greater transparency and equity to motivate change as new trends influence talent mobility and demands, and ESG targets continue to challenge status quo under an increasingly regulated business environment. The days of misaligned and disparate executive remuneration are no longer acceptable. The emergence of “Say on Pay” has paved the way for stakeholders to question how companies set executives’ remuneration to drive the appropriate behaviour and actions. New regulatory frameworks and social movements such as “Equal pay for equal work” are urging corporates to disclose their top executive remuneration and incentive plans including gender pay gaps to ensure fair practices and parity across the organisation.

To navigate these paradigm shifts, boards of directors are to treat talent management, remuneration and risk alignment as an iterative process that evolves with the moving targets.  It is paramount to develop an effective talent and remuneration strategy which is fit for purpose and integrated across the organisation. Boards need to mitigate the potential risks that can pervade through the remuneration structure and metrics. The Remuneration Committee has a critical role to play in finding the balance between two ends of the scale - attracting and retaining the right talents while motivating them to deliver sustainable long-term value rather than taking undue risks for short-term self-serving rewards.

Organised by the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, the thought leadership forum on “Talent and Remuneration Governance for Impact” will examine the role of the board in setting optimal and fair executive remuneration packages while stewarding the ESG agenda and fostering robust leadership talent pipeline to support the vision of the organisation for medium to long-term strategic direction. Through presentations by academic faculty and panel discussions with guest speakers representing boards community and subject matter experts, we will glean insights from multi-faceted perspectives to understand the leading governance framework and approach for boards to put pay for performance and equity in practice and how they can be the driving force to promote transparent and fair remuneration both at board and executive level.

The agenda is tentative and subject to changes. Be sure to check it regularly for updates.

Official programme

Friday, 20 May 2022

Optional Session
Friday, 20 May 2022, 12:15-13:30 CEST
(For new IDP certified directors, IDN members and INSEAD alumni - registration required)

The INSEAD Directors Network (IDN) is hosting a Zoom meeting following the INSEAD Directors Forum on Friday, 20 May, 12:15-13:30 CEST to continue the discussion and dialogue on this topic. Register to learn more about the IDN alumni club and engage in peer-to-peer small group discussion facilitated by IDN Board members and ambassadors - all practicing board directors.
* Chatham rules will apply in these small group discussions.

Only registered attendees will be provided with the link to access the webinar. Please refer to the table below for the applicable fee.

Registration deadline

Please note that the deadline for registration is Thursday, 19 May, 9:00AM (CEST).

Technical requirements

Please click here to check in advance that you have the required system and technical configurations to support the webinar which will be hosted on Zoom conference platform.

Webinar access

The link to the webinar will be shared with registered attendees one day prior to the webinar by Thursday, 19 May 2022. We encourage you to join the webinar at least 5 minutes before the session begins to ensure that you have a proper connection ready.

Webinar recording

The webinar will be recorded and it will be shared with all registered participants.

Webinar etiquette

To facilitate smooth running of the agenda, please take note that:

• During the webinar, everyone will be muted and your video will be turned-off by default
• You can use the Q&A tab if you have a questions for the speakers
• The chat box will be disabled

For further technical support, you may consult the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below or contact us at [email protected] for assistance.

FAQs for technical support

Feel free to access these articles which are related to the theme of the INSEAD Directors Forum.

1. DIEZ, Fermin. Do incentives work?. (2018). Asian Management Insights. 5, (2), 18-25. Asian Management Insights.
2. DIEZ, Fermin Augusto. Pay for performance: What type of pay scheme is best for achieving business results?. (2017). 1-69. Dissertations and Theses Collection.