LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

The demands on Boards and C-suite executives are intensifying and require strategic foresight, cultural alignment and robust governance structures. If they can get it right, it’ll result in gaining both a competitive edge and a framework for enduring success in a world defined by uncertainty and rapid change. 

 

According to Criticaleye’s Chair and Non-executive Director Research, the top five priorities for Boards are strengthening leadership capability; new technology; improved business performance; retaining key talent and developing skills; and organisational design.  Here we capture the thoughts of senior Board-level leaders about where they see organisations prioritising, adapting and focussing as they seek to drive performance and steer a course through volatile times.  

 

This is what they had to say:  

 

High-Performing Boards 

 

High-performing Boards are the backbone of sustainable organisational success, driving key outcomes through effective governance and collaboration. "The focus of the Board will always be to drive sustainable, long-term performance and the four pillars of this are: people, performance, risk and strategy, says Vanda Murray, Chair of Marshalls and a Board Mentor at Criticaleye. 

 

Vanda, who is also Chair of Yorkshire Water and Senior Independent Director at Bunzl, a FTSE 100-listed business, can draw on a wealth of experience when it comes to understanding what makes a Board tick. “The Board will be constantly looking at strategy, the macro environment, the market you're operating in and understanding what skills should be around the table in order to fuel the right discussions,” she says. “So, refreshing the Board can be a good opportunity to take a step back and make sure you have the right people ready to take the organisation forward.”

 

Achieving a high-performing Board, Vanda notes, requires the right mix of expertise and culture. She highlights her approach to getting the balance right on the Boards she Chairs. “Different sectors clearly have their own challenges, but specific expertise does matter. I make sure to populate my Boards with the experience that’s relative to the strategy being driven through the organisation."

Read more from Vanda here

 

Driving Transformation  

 

Transformation often begins with a bold redefinition of purpose and strategy. Leaders tasked with overseeing significant changes recognise the critical role of the Board in steering long-term priorities and aligning leadership execution. 

 

Thomas Thune Andersen, Senior Independent Director at IMI and former Chair of renewable energy provider Ørsted, says: “A way for a company to transform is to look at its purpose … You could have a situation where a decision doesn’t necessarily create the short-term profit but does create a sustainable licence to operate, an environment that attracts the next generation of people and employees and it opens doors to be able to win contracts.” 

 

At the heart of this transformation lies the importance of a senior management team capable of executing the vision. Thomas explains: “As Chair, you then need to ask: ‘What are the competencies, attitudes and skills that an organisation needs?’ When an organisation fundamentally changes its direction and value drivers, there will also be significant changes to the kind of profiles needed to secure the success of the future company.”

Read more from Thomas here

 

Accelerating Fast Growth 

 

Patrick Pulvermüller, currently Chair of WebPros, is a seasoned M&A specialist with other 30 deals to his name throughout his career. Patrick’s leadership exemplifies how strategic foresight and operational discipline can unlock value in fast-paced environments. 

 

Under his stewardship, WebPros has successfully executed targeted acquisitions, such as the recent integration of SocialBee, an AI-powered social media company. According to Patrick, the key lies in aligning governance frameworks with growth objectives. “Governance structures need to evolve alongside the business,” he emphasises, “to ensure you’re equipped to manage not just current operations but future growth effectively.” 

 

While growth presents opportunities, it also brings risks. Boards must strike a balance between ambition and oversight when evaluating the current landscape, particularly in private equity. “The Board needs to think about being a small fish in a big pond that can provide a lot of opportunities to grab market share from,” says Patrick. “However, they also need to ensure governance structures are robust, and there’s continuous monitoring of KPIs because rapid growth can, just as easily, lead to collapse if profitability is neglected.” 

Read more from Patrick here

 

Crisis Preparedness 

 

“One of the challenges a lot of companies have is that it is difficult to plan for a crisis in the abstract.” So says Iain Coucher, Chair at regulator of UK water Ofwat and former CEO of Network Rail.  

 

Now into his third year as Chair of Ofwat, Ian earned his stripes within several complex, highly regulated industries. "In an operational company, I always worked on the principle that there’s no such thing as a crisis but rather an event which is planned for. The only thing you don’t know is the timing of it," he says. 

 

“For example, in railways, there was planning for a train crash or a collapse of critical infrastructure, to planning for the complete loss of signalling. These are all things that you can think about, so when something happens, you know that there's a hierarchy of ‘bronze’, ‘silver’ and ‘gold’ control processes in place, where it's all figured out—even if you’re not sure what the crisis is yet.” 

 

In the regulatory environment, balancing multiple stakeholder interests is paramount. "Whether it’s consumers, customers, the environment, or investments of today, tomorrow, and the future —  understanding those nuances is critical," Iain notes.  

 

“When things go wrong, society, customers, everybody expects you to be there. It’s that demonstrable accountability that’s both needed and expected.”  

Read more from Ian here

 

Opportunity and Risk in a Shifting Global Landscape 

 

The global business environment is fraught with challenges — geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and shifting supply chains. Yet, within these challenges lie opportunities. As Thomas Knudsen, Chair at shipping Giant Toll Group aptly puts it: “There’s an Asian saying around opportunity and risk being different sides of the same coin, and I think that’s very true.” 

 

This dual approach to risk mitigation and opportunity identification is key to thriving in uncertain markets. “It’s about working with management on identifying downside risks, but also asking whether there are opportunities in that risk,” says Thomas. “And it goes across everything… most  things actually do have both opportunity and risk embedded,” he adds. 

Read more from Thomas here

 

The balancing act between operational needs and long-term goals requires Boards to challenge assumptions, ask the right questions and adapt to emerging trends.  

 

Success lies in aligning strategic goals with dynamic market realities. 

Bridgette Hall, Senior Editor, Criticaleye