Navigating uncharted seas with first-time directors

REMEMBER the old adage – “It’s not what you know, but who you know”? Those days are fading into the sunset of yesterday’s boardrooms. In today’s volatile, cut-throat and relentlessly innovative business environment, the old rules are being rewritten.

Directors now face heightened accountability and a demand for diverse skill sets. A board lacking experts – whether in supply chains, artificial intelligence (AI), environment, social and governance (ESG) or diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) – would risk rowing against the current of progress.

Across the globe, boards are actively seeking out directors who bring new skill sets and fresh perspectives to the table, and appointing first-time directors to boards has become a notable trend.