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Research - INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre

Research

The INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre (ICGC) is dedicated to advancing thought leadership and best practices in corporate governance to promote more effective, responsible, and sustainable governance worldwide. Through rigorous, multidisciplinary research conducted by INSEAD faculty, and in collaboration with strategic partners, the Centre develops practice-oriented studies that address the evolving governance challenges facing boards, business leaders, and organisations. By harnessing INSEAD’s global expertise and leveraging innovative technologies, the Centre creates cutting-edge knowledge, insights, and learning solutions that inform executive education, board development, and governance training, helping leaders navigate complexity and drive long-term value creation.

Explore full list of research and publication here

Publication Highlights

ICGC: INSEAD Study & KPMG

New Study: AI Governance Principles for Boards

Developed by INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre (INSEAD Professors Annet Aris and Theodoros Evgeniou together with Tanmay Dangi) and collaborators from KPMG International.
https://www.insead.edu/insead-corporate-governance-centre/ai-governance-principles-for-boards
image for 21 Questions about ceo succession book

New Book: 21 Questions about CEO Succession

Authored by INSEAD Professor Stanislav Shekshnia, the book is grounded in rigorous research and real-world cases and offers a practical framework for boards, senior executives, and their advisers to navigate every stage of the succession process — from determining the right timing to evaluating candidates, preparing for unplanned departures, and securing effective leadership transitions.
https://www.insead.edu/faculty-research/publications/books/21-questions-about-ceo-succession
webcard for icgc bcg hs report

Governing Under High Uncertainty: Opportunities for Emerging-Market Boards

By INSEAD Professor Annet Aris and collaborators Jeremy Hanson (Heidrick & Struggles) and Sekin Akar (Boston Consulting Group). The global study explores how boards in emerging markets are strengthening governance, resilience, and decision-making amid mounting uncertainty and complexity.
https://www.insead.edu/news/boards-emerging-markets-face-heightened-uncertainty-global-and-local-pressures-converge

Participate in Research Study

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Global Board Governance Survey 2026

The INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre is currently conducting a global board governance survey in partnership with the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence and Harvard Business Review to examine board governance practices across countries and industries and identifies key drivers of board effectiveness. Board directors are invited to share their insights and, in return, receive exclusive access to the findings and invitations to thought-leadership discussions on the results. Take me to the survey >

Applied Research Studies and Executive Summaries

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Explore the library of applied research and executive summaries by INSEAD  Corporate Governance Centre that covers a wide range of topics addressing the key challenges board directors have to grapple with. The resources include topical executive summaries that highlight key governance issues and support board directors in enhancing their effectiveness.

2026

AI Governance Principles for Boards

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and KPMG International
by Annet Aris, Senior Affiliate Professor of Strategy, Academic Director, INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Theodoros Evgeniou, Professor of Technology and Business, INSEAD and Tanmay Dangi, Director, INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and Human and Machine Intelligence Institute, together with KPMG team of collaborators, Steering and Advisory Committee - April 2026

The study is developed to foster responsible governance of AI at board level, as organisations and their boards grapple with AI’s implications for strategy, operations and the board itself. The Principles serve as an essential resource for boards, equipping them to address the spectrum of responsibilities resulting from AI integration, helping directors to make well-informed decisions on maintaining effective oversight of AI.

 

Governing Under High Uncertainty: Opportunities for Emerging-Market Boards

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Heidrick & Struggles,
Main authors: Ron Soonieus, Director in residence, INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and Senior Advisor, Boston Consulting Group, Burak Tansan, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, and chairman of the Turkey office. 
Contributing Authors: Annet Aris,Senior Affiliate Professor of Strategy & Academic Director at INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Jeremy Hanson, Partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ Chicago office and a member of the CEO and Board of Directors Practice, Seckin Akar, Partner at Boston Consulting Group and a member of BCG’s Global Advantage Practice - January 2026

Based on a series of roundtables and interviews with over 100 senior directors from emerging markets worldwide, the report explores how directors are responding to the growing interaction of geopolitical volatility, economic disruption, technological change, climate-related risks, and evolving societal expectations. Individually and collectively, these forces are reshaping agendas, governance practices, and the role of the board itself. 

2021 - 2025

Boards and Society:  How Boards Are Evolving to  Meet Challenges from Sustainability to Geopolitical Volatility 

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Heidrick & Struggles and BCG
by Ron Soonieus, Senior Advisor, BCG, Director in Residence, INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Sonia Tatar, Executive Director of INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and INSEAD Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise, David Young, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG's Boston Office, Claire Skinner, Partner, Heidrick & Struggles' London office and Global Managing Partner of Heidrick Consulting, Jeremy Hanson, Partner in Heidrick & Struggles' Chicago office - November 2024
This joint Report examines how boards are responding to complex trends and disruptions they are currently facing such as sustainability, generative AI, trade and geopolitical shifts.

The Role of the Board in the Sustainability Era

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Heidrick & Struggles and BCG
by Ron Soonieus, Senior Advisor, BCG, Director in Residence, INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, David Young, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG's Boston Office, Alice Breeden, Partner in Heidrick & Struggles' London office, Jeremy Hanson, Partner in Heidrick & Struggles' Chicago office and Sonia Tatar, Executive Director of INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and INSEAD Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise - July 2023
This joint report focused on examining the perceptions of boards towards a full spectrum of ESG issues, as well as how the drive for sustainability is influencing and reorganizing the efforts of boards. 

Nomination and Remuneration Committees - Trending towards Confluence or Divergence

by Jose-Luis Alvarez and Sonia Tatar from INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and Hagen Schweinitz from Eric Salmon & Partners - March 2023
This joint report focused on the role and effectiveness of nomination and remuneration committees sheds light on key trends and best practices in corporate governance and provides insights for both boards and executives.

Designing Sustainability Governance - Board structures and practices for better ESG performance

by Ron Soonieus, Director in Residence, INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre - March 2022
This report explores how corporate boards can best organise themselves to firmly embed ESG/sustainability in board oversight.

Directors Can Up Their Game on Environmental, Social and Governance Issues: The BCG-INSEAD Board ESG Pulse Check

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and BCG
by Ron Soonieus, Senior Advisor, BCG, Director in Residence, INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Wendy Woods, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG's Boston Office, David Young, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG's Boston Office, and Sonia Tatar, Executive Director of INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise - March 2022
For this inaugural report, we have interviewed more than 50 directors who have at least 10 years’ experience as a board member and who serve on more than 150 corporate boards combined. Our survey captured insights from 122 respondents who have an average of 7 years of experience as a board member and who are affiliated with 2 boards on average. The majority (80%) of respondents are non-executive directors, with 33% of those individuals serving as the board chair. Another 14% of respondents are CEOs and the remaining 6% support the board as corporate secretary and legal counsel.

Changing the Climate in the Boardroom

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and Heidrick & Struggles
with contribution from Ron Soonieus, Director in Residence, INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre - December 2021
Based on 301 responses from 43 countries, the survey conducted during September and October 2021 revealed the evolving role of boards in climate change leadership as well as the imperative to bridge the knowledge and experience gaps to steward the transition.

Leadership in AI Report 2021

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Board Agenda and Mazars
by Professor Theodoros Evgeniou - January 2021
Based on survey carried out between September & November 2020 among 121 senior business leaders, including chief executive officers, chief finance officers, board chairs, executive and non-executive directors and company secretaries, the research study examines the adoption and perceived benefits of AI, as well as the constraints and AI's potential impact on corporate culture.

2016 - 2020

Executive Summary (2019)

The Effects of Covid-19 on Boards and Governance

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and Spencer Stuart - October 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has severely challenged the resilience of companies worldwide. To understand how the impact of the coronavirus on boards and governance, the ICGC has collaborated with Spencer Stuart to conduct a survey research to gain insights into the dynamics and functioning of corporate boards and their atttitude towards risk analysis following the global health crisis.

Leadership in Risk Management—European Report 2020

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Board Agenda and Mazars
by Prof. Enrico Diecidue and Tim Rowley - July 2020
Based on more than 300 respondents, the latest research survey aims to examine the level of skills, structures, culture and business readiness of boards in addressing risk in a highly uncertain landscape execebated by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Market for Corporate Directors 2019

by Prof. Jose Luis Alvarez and Francois-Lucien Vulliermet, Research Associate, 18 December 2019

Over the past years, the paradigms of the modern business world have shifted dramatically. In the midst of accelerating pace and complexity of change, boards of directors must address issues they had never experienced before as they grapple with unprecedented threats arising from geopolitical and global economic events, sustainable development concerns and technological disruptions. The era of conventional governance and perpetual board is over. Board renewal to bring diversity and new talents has become an imperative for boards aiming to anticipate emerging risks and opportunities for high-performance governance. With this 2019 Report on Directors Job Market, the INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre looked at this call for board renewal and the development of full time professional directors.

What's Stopping Boards from turning Sustainability Aspirations into Action

by Prof. N. Craig Smith and Ron Soonieus, executive-in-residence, June 2019
Drawing on the findings from earlier report with Board Agenda and Mazars and on over 25 interviews with non-executive board members, the report focuses on three key aspects of the problem: What are boards really saying about sustainability? What are the obstacles to them taking more effective action? What changes should be made by boards so that their companies respond more effectively to sustainability challenges?

Leadership in Corporate Sustainability—European Report 2018

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Board Agenda and Mazars
by Prof. N. Craig Smith and Ron Soonieus, executive-in-residence, INSEAD - Dec 2018
INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre has participated in the research project in collaboration with Board Agenda and Mazars, to gather views of 234 respondents across Europe on boards' response in leading the sustainability agenda

Board Leadership in Corporate Culture: European Report 2017

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre, Board Agenda and Mazars
by Prof. Erik van de Loo and Jaap Winter - Nov 2017
INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre has participated in the research project in collaboration with Board Agenda and Mazars, to gather views of 435 board members across Europe on the subject of corporate culture.

Board Chairs' Practices across Countries: Commonalities, Differences and Future Trends

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and Ward Howell Talent Equity Institute Survey
by Prof. Stanislav Shekshnia and Project Manager Veronika Zaviega - April 2017
In this survey report, the research team conducted interviews with professional chairs in different parts of the world to identify and compare specific practices and instruments used in different countries. The report gives insights into pertinent issues surrounding the work of the chair across different countries and development of future trends over the next decade.

 

Directing Digitalisation - Guidelines for Boards and Executives

by Prof. Ludo Van der Heyden, INSEAD and Liri Andersson, this fluid world - February 2017
This report analyses the need for digitalization and its impact on boards and senior executives, with the aim of enlightening and supporting leaders in their digital journey, and gives 11 key implications and recommendations taking into account the external and internal environments.

 

The Real Impact of Digital - as seen from the "Virtual" Coalface

by Prof. Ludo Van der Heyden, INSEAD and Liri Andersson, this fluid world - April 2016
This study challenges some of the common assumptions and beliefs about the positioning of “digital”. The study approaches the issue of digital from a fresh direction: the real perceptions and experiences of managers on the ground and “in the coalface” of business, the results, as well as 21 insights and recommendations for the 21st century.

2010 - 2015

Executive Summaries (2013 - 2015)

 

Chair of the board of Directors: Findings from a Global Survey

INSEAD Corporate Governance Centre and Ward Howell Talent Equity Institute Survey
by Prof. Stanislav Shekshnia and Project Manager Veronika Zaviega - 2015
The survey sheds light on the characteristics and motivations of the board chair which contributes to the development of "Leading from the Chair" programme at INSEAD.

 

Why Do Women Find It So Difficult to Access Top Executive Jobs and Why Does Change Take So Long?

by Prof. Ludo Van der Heyden, INSEAD - August 2014
This is an opinion piece written based on the observation of the existing state of ffairs on the issues surrounding women in leadership - the issues, challenges and possible future development.

INSEAD Directors Forum 2014

Risk Oversight in the Boardroom, 27-28 April 2014, Luxemburg

How can Good Corporate Governance contribute to the image of Luxemburg's Financial Centre?

INSEAD Alumni conference-roundtable in cooperation with EY and ILALuxemburg, April 30 2014

ICGI and the Clarkson Center for Board Effectiveness release a new Survey

Benchmarking Boards: Europe and North America 27-28 April 2014, Luxemburg

Comments on the Português Corporate Governance Code

Lisbon, April 2, 2013

Managing Crisis from a Board Perspective

October 13, 2012

The Governance of Joint Ventures

Abu Dhabi, February 1, 2012

In search of the Best Practice ?

Abu Dhabi, November 28, 2010

CEO Remuneration: The Way Ahead

London, June 14, 2010