The Better Boards Podcast Series

• Overcoming misconceptions and lies in the boardroom

  Send us a textWhen pressure mounts, boards often default to easy narratives. But Professor Alex Edmonds, finance professor at London Business School, argues that now is the time to double down on dissent and critical thinking.In this timely episode, Alex challenges common assumptions around ESG and DEI. Drawing on academic research and real boardroom experience, he urges directors to look beyond the surface—and beyond what they want to be true.“Rather than making broad claims as to whether sustainability works or doesn't, what I try to do is be more granular and look at the specific sustainability dimensions that pay off.”The episode explores confirmation bias, the misuse of data, and how well-intentioned directors can still fall into intellectual traps. Alex shares practical tactics for chairs to foster dissent, such as holding back opinions to let others speak freely.“If you see a study that you really want to be true… ask yourself what if the study found the opposite? How would I take it apart?”The message is clear: dissent isn’t dysfunction—it’s discipline. And in today’s complex world, boards need more of it.“It’s simple but not easy. We know where we want to get to—but putting it into practice is challenging.”Three Takeaways:Academic research is a critical resource.Challenge what you want to believe.Reward dissent.Boards that confront complexity won’t just survive—they’ll lead.Remember to subscribe and never miss an episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series. It’s available on Apple, Spotify, or Google. To find out how you can participate in the Better Boards Podcast Series or for more information on Better Boards’ solutions, please email us at [email protected].

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• 10x Your Impact – How the Smartest Directors Are Using AI

  Send us a textHow the Smartest Directors Are Using AI In this episode, we speak with Jamie Green, Co-Founder and CEO of Tutaki, the Director Workbench designed to make board directors radically more effective. Drawing on his experience at McKinsey and extensive conversations with Chairs, directors, and governance leaders, Jamie built Tutaki to help transform how board members prepare, engage, and act. With a strong foundation in strategy, governance, and AI product design, Jamie is at the forefront of a new era of “augmented directorship.” As complexity grows and time shrinks, AI is proving to be a performance accelerator, not just a support tool. In this episode of the Better Boards podcast, we speak with Jamie Green, Co-Founder and CEO of Tutaki, the Director Workbench designed to make board directors radically more effective. Drawing on his experience at McKinsey and hundreds of conversations with Chairs, directors, and governance leaders, Jamie built Tutaki to transform how board members prepare, engage, and act. With a background in strategy, governance, and AI product design, he’s leading a new era of “augmented directorship.” In this conversation, Jamie outlines how the best boards are using AI not just to cope—but to lead. Why effectiveness matters  The most valuable strategic decisions happen in the boardroom. AI can dramatically enhance this by helping directors focus on what matters, enabling more trust and transparency with management. “Directors are the amplifiers, and it’s really key that their whole process works effectively to actually get the best out of it.” What’s holding boards back  The main blockers? Lack of clarity on use, data privacy fears, and over-reliance. Jamie argues that these risks can be mitigated—and that the real risk is not using AI at all. “If you blanket rule, ‘you can’t use AI,’ and your competitors do, they’ll make faster, more accurate decisions—and leave you behind.” Where AI is heading  Jamie outlines four phases of AI maturity in the boardroom: analysis, automation, AI-assisted directors, and eventually AI boards. While AI boards are still a few years off, the steps to get there are already unfolding. “Imagine if you had Warren Buffett sitting there analysing the financials. That’s the power of AI.” Start today  Directors are already using AI to synthesise documents, explore competitor strategy, and broaden their thinking. The key is starting with clarity—ask AI to help you ask better questions. Three takeaways: “Not using AI is the riskiest option… The best directors are going to be AI-literate.” Not using AI is the greatest risk. The best boards are already using it. Seek out vertical tools that solve real problems. Discover how you can take the first confident steps toward AI-powered boardroom effectiveness—starting today. Remember to subscribe and never miss an episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series. It’s available on Apple, Spotify, or Google. To find out how you can participate in the Better Boards Podcast Series or for more information on Better Boards’ solutions, please email us at [email protected].

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• Beyond Minutes: Reimagining the Board Secretary in the Age of AI

  Send us a textBeyond Minutes: Reimagining the Board Secretary in the Age of AIIs today’s board secretary ready for tomorrow’s boardroom?In this episode, Moya Heyhurst returns to the Better Boards Podcast to explore how AI is reshaping not just how company secretaries work—but what their role means. A fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute with 25+ years’ experience, Moya shares insights from her work across industries and with the Centre for AI in Board Effectiveness.Board secretaries sit at the intersection of governance and transformation. This episode explores how they can lead—not lag—as expectations rise.The Role Is Changing—The Only Question Is How“If you define yourself as just arranging meetings and writing minutes, then this is a call to arms.”Secretaries must move beyond logistics to remain relevant in an AI-enabled boardroom.Not Just Automation—A Shift in Purpose“AI can either destroy your world or make it better. It’s how you decide to use it.”AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a turning point. It can elevate how governance professionals deliver insight and value.The Strategic Partner Boards Didn’t Know They Had“Company secretaries know where everything is—and they know the risks of what’s at their fingertips.”Great secretaries already drive board effectiveness. It’s time the role reflects that.From Admin to Governance Intelligence“If board secretaries don’t step forward, someone else will.”The board’s demand for strategic input is rising. If secretaries don’t fill the gap, others will.From Shadow Influence to Vocal Leadership“We need to surface the role of the board secretary to unlock the value already inside organisations.”Speaking up isn’t about ego—it’s about relevance.How to Get Started“Secretaries don’t have to know how to do it all. They need to know where the answers are—and how to connect them.”Three Key TakeawaysThis is not a task shift—it’s a role shift.Step forward—or others will.The profession is ready—if it’s intentional.Remember to subscribe and never miss an episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series. It’s available on Apple, Spotify, or Google. To find out how you can participate in the Better Boards Podcast Series or for more information on Better Boards’ solutions, please email us at [email protected].

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• Can AI make better business decisions?

  Send us a textIn this episode of the Better Boards Podcast, Professor Katja Langenbucher explores how boards can embrace AI to future-proof their decision-making.Dr. Sabine Dembkowski speaks with Katja, a law professor at Goethe-University in Frankfurt and affiliated with SciencesPo, Paris. She serves on the supervisory boards of BaFin and IEP and brings extensive boardroom and academic experience.Making Better Judgements: Why Boards Must Embrace AIAI is rapidly reshaping industries—from pharmaceuticals to finance—and boards can no longer afford to stand still. Katja outlines why boards must move past hesitation and actively integrate AI into their processes.She explains how leading organisations embed AI into strategy, what this means under the business judgment rule, and why AI should challenge—not replace—human insight.AI Isn’t a Trend—It’s Becoming a Legal ExpectationAI may still seem opaque to some directors—but that view is increasingly out of step with governance expectations. In jurisdictions applying the business judgment rule, directors must demonstrate informed, reasonable decision-making. AI is becoming part of that expectation.“Very soon, you cannot claim to be well-informed without consulting an AI.”Boards have long leaned on expert input for board evaluations and strategic oversight. Going forward, AI must be part of that toolkit—or boards risk falling short of legal standards.From Coffee Chains to Capital Markets: The Real-World Power of AIKatja cites practical use cases—like how Starbucks applies AI to optimise store locations using behavioural, geographic, and competitor data.“You can use AI to identify an M&A target, spot a hostile takeover risk, or even test how markets might respond to your messaging.”Yet, she observes that AI is still rarely referenced in board evaluations or agendas, despite its ability to surface risks, run scenario models, and sharpen decision-making.The New Role of Company SecretariesCompany secretaries are ideally placed to help boards adopt AI meaningfully. Katja is clear: directors don’t need to code—they need to ask better questions.“Nobody is asking directors to code—but boards must ask the right questions.”Understanding a company’s proprietary data and strategic priorities is a governance task. AI experts deliver the tools, but boards must frame the questions.Challenging Groupthink and Elevating DebateGroupthink continues to undermine board effectiveness. Katja shares a compelling example of using AI to simulate press responses—ranging from neutral to harsh—on a sensitive issue.“Seeing a mock ‘nasty article’ on the big screen challenged the entire board’s thinking.”Used this way, AI becomes a catalyst for challenge and debate, broadening the board’s perspective.AI as Induction, Humans as InterpretationAI and human judgment are not competing forces—they are complementary. AI finds patterns. Humans interpret them.“A good strategic decision is always a combination of AI and human thinking.”Board evaluation frameworks must reflect this dual approach. AI accelerates insight; humans weigh impact.Three Key TakeRemember to subscribe and never miss an episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series. It’s available on Apple, Spotify, or Google. To find out how you can participate in the Better Boards Podcast Series or for more information on Better Boards’ solutions, please email us at [email protected].

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• Boards - What do capital markets think of them? The unfiltered perspective of a credit analyst

  Send us a textIn an era marked by rapid change, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, and economic volatility, understanding how analysts perceive boards is more important than ever. We turned to an analyst who operates independently of major financial institutions for a truly candid perspective.In this episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, speaks with Anke Richter, a seasoned credit analyst and strategist with nearly 30 years of experience in the bond markets. Based in London, Anke has held positions at JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Moody’s, and brings a unique vantage point shaped by her work on both the buy-side and sell-side, as well as in a rating agency. She holds both the CFA Charter and CIMA accountancy qualification.A Two-Step Approach to Company AnalysisAccording to Anke, the fundamentals of analysing a company haven’t changed: “What you do when analysing a company is always the same.”Step one involves scrutinising the company’s fundamentals—numbers, valuations, and performance indicators. Step two involves examining red flags in leadership or governance. Common issues include overly dominant founders in small firms or boards where everyone shares the same surname, particularly in family-run conglomerates in emerging markets.Anke notes that although she doesn’t always request formal board evaluations, she views them as a missed opportunity for many firms. Proper board assessments and clear investor communication allow companies to spotlight their governance strengths and strategic priorities.Bridging the Knowledge Gap Between Boards and InvestorsAnke frequently observes significant knowledge gaps in how boards interact with capital markets. “We always find that people are sometimes not aware of how certain things are done or how things are perceived.”Lack of familiarity with investor expectations can seriously handicap a company’s position. To mitigate this, Anke advocates for including individuals with capital markets expertise on the board. This experience ensures the board understands key market dynamics and investor sentiment.Fixing Investor Relations: Easier Than You ThinkInvestor relations, Anke believes, is an area where companies can quickly improve. “This is something you can, as a company, very easily fix.”Improvements don’t require massive budgets. What’s often lacking is not money but human resources and awareness. Clear communication, a well-maintained website, an accessible IR team, and informative roadshows are foundational but frequently overlooked.Anke also points out two critical missteps:1. Inconsistent messaging between equity and debt stakeholders—this discrepancy doesn’t go unnoticed.2. Combative attitudes from executives during investor meetings can irreparably harm trust.Beyond the Numbers: The Human ElementAnke acknowledges that while financial metrics are clear-cut, evaluating leadership is far more nuanced. “If I have an opportunity, I always want to meet management, but one also has to be realistic about whether you can assess whether they are good at running the company.”Good marketing cRemember to subscribe and never miss an episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series. It’s available on Apple, Spotify, or Google. To find out how you can participate in the Better Boards Podcast Series or for more information on Better Boards’ solutions, please email us at [email protected].

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