Past INSEAD Directors Forums
Past INSEAD Directors Forums
2023 Singapore
Governance Complexities in Unprecedented Times
12-13 May 2023, Asia Campus
Global shocks are here to stay. From health crisis to macroeconomic pressures, geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and increased frequency of natural disasters. International businesses are facing unprecedented waves of events that are triggering economic uncertainties and turmoil. In parallel, megatrends fuelled by the rise in technological advancement, shifts in economic power, demographics and social expectations, and mounting concern on issues surrounding funding, investments, ESG, climate change and resource scarcity, are impacting risks and shaping new dynamics in business landscape which are adding to the complexities of board directors’ role and responsibilities as well as board's composition and structure for effective governance.
Organised by the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, with support from INSEAD Directors Network (IDN), the INSEAD Directors Forum on the theme “Governance Complexities in Unprecedented Times” will be taking place over two half days on 12-13 May 2023, on INSEAD Asia Campus, Singapore where we will address from macro perspective, the forces that are shaping financing in the evolving corporate governance landscape and how boards of directors can leverage new technologies to redefine global business ecosystem and enable the reinvention of business models to expand radical options for innovation to remain resilient in a competitive market. The Forum will also explore shareholders’ and stakeholders’ perspectives on sustainability and practices through which boards can adapt their strategy to help companies stay nimble in the face of market turbulence.
2022 Fontainebleau
Governance Imperative in a New World Order
25-26 November 2022, Europe Campus
A new world order is emerging as major forces are shaking up global economies and redefining the rules and setting new expectations for businesses. Seismic shifts stemming from geopolitical capitalism, economic stagflation, supply chain and energy disruptions, responsible technology, environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda, diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), green finance and ethical integrity are compelling boards of directors to rethink and reassess their corporate governance practices in terms of strategic decision-making.
Organised by the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, the INSEAD Directors Forum on the theme “Governance Imperative in a New World Order” will be taking place on 25-26 November 2022, on INSEAD Europe Campus, Fontainebleau where we will address from macro perspective the forces that are shaping the New World Order and how boards of directors need to level up with new mindsets, competences, and structures with nomination and remuneration processes and policies aligned with organisational mission and corporate strategy for effective governance.
2022 May (Virtual)
Talent and Remuneration Governance for Impact
Webinar & Digital Dialogue, 20 May 2022, 9AM - 12PM (CEST)
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.
2021 October (Virtual)
Governance in the Rise of Activism
Webinar & Digital Dialogue, 22 October 2021, 9:30AM - 1:10PM (CET)
The activism landscape has evolved tremendously over the years with the rise in stakeholder activism and burgeoning power of activist hedge funds over their target company. The time has come for boards to commit in sustainable stewardship - recognising the environmental and social impact of their business activities, mitigating risks and driving change towards positive long-term value.
More than ever, boards must collaborate with their executive teams to actively manage the risks of an activism campaign by understanding the changing expectations from investors and other stakeholders to find the balance in the pursuit of purpose, impact, and performance. Excessive CEO remuneration coupled with lagging performance in shareholder’s return can create pay-for-performance misalignment in favor for intervention by shareholder activists. However, potential activism risks can become opportunities for strengthening engagement when boards know how to build an effective stakeholder communication strategy in the face of conflict. By leading the way in navigating the rise in the tide of activism activities, board directors can safeguard their companies from detrimental outcome should activism attacks occur.
Organised by the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, the thought leadership forum on “Governance in the Rise of Activism” examined the shifts in the activism landscape and mounting pressure from both shareholders and stakeholders for a sustainable stewardship on governance. Through presentations by academic experts and panel discussions with guest speakers representing investors, regulators, activists, and boards community, we will glean insights from multi-faceted perspectives on the tactics that activists use to stimulate change, leading governance practices in managing such risks and strategy to strengthen stakeholder engagement for long-term value creation.
2021 April (Virtual)
Towards a Hybrid Corporate Governance Paradigm
Webinar & Digital Dialogue, 26 April 2021, 9:00AM - 12:00PM (CET)
In 2020, the world was hit with one of the worst global recessions in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic which saw more than a third of the population come under lockdown. Despite the development of new vaccines, many are still uncertain on what recovery could look like. Early quarter forecasts of 2021 has shown growth trends thanks to the strong actions taken by governments and policy makers to support recovery and mitigate the far-reaching impacts. According to economists, crisis can precede rapid growth with the bounce back of privately held businesses as a sign of recovery.
Effective corporate governance structures and frameworks are paramount in driving business performance and resilience especially in the current disrupted business landscape. Board of directors must understand the strengths and challenges of the different governance practices that are entrenched in the various structural and ownership models in order to provide strategic oversight to define asset acquisitions and investment strategies that would drive long-term value creation aligned to business goals.
What can corporate boards learn from starts-ups and family businesses and how can the latter professionalise their governance for higher growth in the medium to long-term horizon? How would corporate governance models evolve with the paradigm shifts?
Organised by the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, the thought leadership forum on “Towards a Hybrid Corporate Governance Paradigm” would examine the governance models across public listed and private companies such as family enterprises and start-ups to identify the unique structures and the case for hybrid governance model. Through presentations by INSEAD faculty and panel discussions with our distinguished board chairs and directors, we will uncover some of the leading governance practices and explore the different asset allocation and investment approaches and how business ownership affects and drives these strategies.
2020 October (Virtual)
Recovery in A New Era of Corporate Governance
Webinar & Digital Dialogue, on 16 October 2020, 9:00AM - 1:30PM (CET)
The year 2020 is marked by the rampage of coronavirus pandemic as gloomy economic prognosis continues to loom over the horizon of world economies. Government, corporate board and business leaders are grappling to chart the path to recovery amid the fog of uncertainties and mounting pressures. There is no doubt that the road to recovery is going to be long and arduous but success will favor those who can innovate and evolve with the changes. A new era of corporate governance is arising where outdated governance practices and structures will have to give way to new direction that is fit for purpose in addressing the proliferating challenges facing boards.
Organised by the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, the thought leadership forum on "Recovery in a New Era of Corporate Governance" addressed the shifts in the economic and technological landscape and examine how board of directors can navigate the changes and harness the emerging technologies to lead organisational transformation for recovery. Next, we explored how boards can shape and leverage organisational culture to build resilience and implement innovation strategies that will drive sustainable business continuity followed by a dialogue session to hear different perspectives from leading experts on the latest pressing movements and issues arising in the boardroom. Our panel of distinguished speakers shared their perspectives on the governance conundrums such as social justice, cooperative capitalism, climate change and impact of crisis on boards that have come under the spotlight and how these will shape the future of governance.
The assimilation of learning is key to emerge from the crisis and transform organizations for recovery. Hence, we examined the practice of learning for board directors and uncover the leading practices that enable boards to grow and develop their learning agility.
2020 June (Virtual)
Redefining Sustainability Governance in COVID-19 Crisis?
Webinar & Digital Dialogue, on 30 June 2020, 9:00AM - 12:30PM (CET)
The business world is undergoing tremendous changes in the face of disruptive forces. From public health crisis to seismic shifts in global economic outlook, social instability and environmental challenges, corporate boards and business leaders are under intense pressure to navigate the highly complex landscape with a long-term strategic vision and smarter than rational decision-making. It is time to develop governance capabilities to combine performance with meaning.
Organised by the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, in collaboration with the Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Webinar and Digital Dialogue session will explore the key drivers that are shaping the global landscape today and the imperative for corporate boards to taking a leading stand in advancing sustainability agenda from the boardroom. To govern sustainability amid times of increased uncertainties and risks, it is critical to establish stakeholders engagement and harness wise power. Through an innovative multi-lens approach which galvanises the benefit of cognitive analysis with emotional affiliation, board directors and business leaders will be motivated to expand their perspectives to formulate the best decision among a repertoire of responses to bring alignment to vision, purpose and action under challenging circumstances.
Led by Professor Marc Le Menestrel, Affiliate Professor of Decision Sciences, Professor Ludo Van der Heyden, INSEAD Chaired Professor of Corporate Governance and Philippe Joubert, Founder and CEO of Earth on Board, Trustee of Client Earth and Senior Adviser and Special Envoy Energy and Climate at WBCSD, the session will draw insights from faculty as well as leading experts, board members and panelists who will share their journey in governing sustainability in challenging times followed by practical workshops.
2019 Fontainebleau
Boards Renewal for Transformational Governance
28-29 September 2019, Fontainebleau
Relentless waves of technological evolution, from big data to artificial intelligence and machine learning, coupled with turbulent shifts in geopolitical and global economic powers, are putting corporate governance and boards under intense pressure. Conventional governance models and perpetual boards are no longer sustainable today. There is a growing call for renewal in the boardrooms to capacitate board directors to influence corporate cultures, and instil the competencies and skillsets required by the new challenges. Boards of directors need to be innovated and at times even disrupted to change the course of their organizations in times of change. They ought to possess the acumen to detect risks, anticipate opportunities and equip themselves to navigate through the uncertainties while creating long-term stakeholders’ value.
The 14th edition of the INSEAD Directors Forum addressed the latest developments in the global macroeconomics and technological landscape and provide a unique platform for board directors and top executives to learn, share and network through open discussions on how boards can systematically anticipate and drive effective transformation to stay ahead of the curve.
Read featured article in INSEAD Knowledge
Video Highlights
2019 Singapore
Governance in the Era of Regulatory and Geopolitical Shifts
25-26 February 2019, Singapore
The turbulent shifts in geopolitical tensions, economic powers and trade policy have resulted in greater uncertainties for organisations and businesses. These developments underscore the need for Boards to stay vigilant in reading the macro signs to make sense of the global forces impacting the businesses they oversee in order to address the strategic opportunities and risks stemming from these changes. Bringing together faculty experts, board directors and top executives, the forum addressed the challenges arising from the evolving regulatory and geopolitical shifts and provide a unique platform to share, network and debate on how boards can navigate and anticipate the risks and opportunities.
2018 Fontainebleau
Governance in a Disrupted World
What changing forces are shaping today's governance?
12-13 October 2018, Fontainebleau
The role of the board is becoming increasingly challenging with the way disruption is shaping the global business climate. The Forum addresses the latest trends, challenges and opportunities shaping today’s volatile corporate governance landscape. Bringing together academic experts, directors, board members and top executives, the forum offers a unique platform for participants to scan the current landscape in corporate governance, discuss and exchange on the crucial role corporate governance plays on businesses and uncover what it takes to be an effective Chair in such environment.
Video Highlights
2018 Singapore
Culture and Risk Challenges in 21st Century Boards
26-27 February 2018, Singapore
Risk oversight is no longer a responsibility that the board can delegate to the management. 21st century Boards not only have to grapple with risk challenges related to the business environment they operate in but also in technology, culture, reputation and even diversity and more. The focus of this Directors Forum will be on “Culture and Risk Challenges in 21st Century Boards" where we will look into the risks posed by cyber threats, corporate culture and board composition. What are the measures boards can implement to counteract the threats of cyberattack? What can boards do to cultivate the desired culture within the corporate setting and integrate culture in situation of merger and acquisition? With greater scrutiny on diversity in board composition, in particularly gender equity, what are the latest research evidence showing and how can board directors make a difference?
2017 Fontainebleau
Boards in search of Purpose, Performance and People: Tradeoff or Alignment?
13-14 October 2017, Fontainebleau
Relentless waves of technological evolution, from big data to artificial intelligence and machine learning, coupled with turbulent shifts in geopolitical and global economic powers, are putting corporate governance and boards under intense pressure. Conventional governance models and perpetual boards are no longer sustainable today. There is a growing call for renewal in the boardrooms to capacitate board directors to influence corporate cultures, and instil the competencies and skillsets required by the new challenges. Boards of directors need to be innovated and at times even disrupted to change the course of their organizations in times of change. They ought to possess the acumen to detect risks, anticipate opportunities and equip themselves to navigate through the uncertainties while creating long-term stakeholders’ value.
2017 Singapore
Transforming Boards and Businesses
27 February 2017, Singapore
The ninth INSEAD Directors Forum saw a turnout of over 50 attendees representing IDP alumni, members of the Singapore Institute of Directors, INSEAD Alumni and Faculty members. Led by Professors Serguei Netessine and Ludo Van der Heyden, the forum highlighted the imperative for Boards to understand internal change process through the lens of Business Model Innovation and to have the agility and strategy to respond to external pressure such as digital. The day concluded with keynote speech from Mrs Suet-Fern Lee, distinguished legal professional and international non-executive board director and Certification Ceremony for recipients of the Certificate in Corporate Governance.
