Send us a text In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses tech boards with Irene Arias Hofman, CEO of IDB Lab, the innovation and venture laboratory of the Inter-American Development Bank Group. “We do care a lot about the principles, the values, the incentives” Irene begins by outlining that whe…

Send us a text Every country has its fair share of corporate failures. Afterwards, It is easy to point towards governance. Reflection and learning are essential. In this podcast, you hear from someone who has a critical governance role In Germany. You gain insights into the issues discussed and the perspectives of someone who hears daily from all p…

Send us a text Recently, there has been a surge on social media stating that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are bad for business. Some of the world’s largest firms have also significantly reduced their investment in diversity and inclusion. But what does this mean for boards that do believe DEI are good for business? Should they change how …

Send us a text Corporate Governance Codes worldwide state that an internal board evaluation shall be conducted in years one and two after a fully facilitated external evaluation. It is one of those tasks on a Company Secretariat's calendar that has to be done. But how? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Bo…

On this episode of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, Decoding Digital Health, Megan Baca, co-leader of the IP transactions and licensing practice and co-chair of the firm’s digital health initiative, is joined by IP transactions counsel Georgina Suzuki and technical advisor Andrew O’Brien as they explore the science behind AI. They discuss how AI work…

Send us a text Many Directors have positive intentions, want to leverage their experiences, support executives, and discuss the big picture in the boardroom. But many quickly become disillusioned, stuck in detail, ticking off boxes and agenda items rather than supporting executives and helping the organisation make a real mark. In this podcast, Dr …

On this episode of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, Decoding Digital Health, Christine Moundas, a health care partner and co-chair of the firm’s digital health initiative, is joined by Dr. Bernardo Bizzo, a senior director at Mass General Brigham AI and assistant professor of radiology in the Department of Radiology at Mass General Hospital. Dr. Bizz…

Send us a text As board members gain awareness of the possibilities and power of AI and analytics, an almost unlimited array of potential projects, questions, or scenarios where analytics could improve outcomes arises. The challenge is how to prioritise the various opportunities. In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner o…

Send us a text Climate change is not just a distant threat, but an urgent and immediate reality that is forcing fundamental change for organisations, often transforming their business models. The role of governance in enabling and guiding the urgent transition to the net zero economy has never been more crucial. In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowsk…

Send us a text Managing an ever-growing agenda, Company Secretaries today face a plethora of issues that can pull their focus in countless directions. It's truly challenging to work effectively with the board and keep on top of the ever-changing economic, technological, and regulatory landscape. So, how can Company Secretaries maintain clarity and …

On this episode of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, Decoding Digital Health, host Kellie Combs, a partner in the life sciences regulatory and compliance group and co-chair of the firm’s cross-practice digital health group, is joined by Greg Levine, chair of the firm's global life sciences regulatory and compliance practice, and Lincoln Tsang, head of…

Send us a text Managing an ever-growing agenda, boards today face a plethora of issues that can pull their focus in countless directions. How can boards maintain clarity and focus amidst their expanding scope of responsibilities, especially when it comes to the critical area of sustainability? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Mana…

Send us a text Diversity and inclusion are not evenly distributed throughout an organisation, and the view at the board level may not correspond with reality further down. This creates missed opportunities and prevents companies from unlocking the true potential of their talent and their organisations. Often, firms can increase productivity by doin…

Send us a text Boards are complex structures, and it can be overwhelming for a first-time CEO to navigate them successfully. In this episode, we dive into the experiences of a first-time CEO, discussing the challenges she encountered and the strategies she used to handle the intricacies of board dynamics. In this episode, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Foun…

Send us a text When companies face increasing uncertainty, they need to lean in and embolden management to do what is right for the business's long-term health. Nowhere is this more pertinent than on the topic of sustainability. In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses how board members can hel…

Send us a text What are the key differences between the U.S. and the U.K. in their approaches to corporate governance? How do these differences impact an independent/Non-Executive Director in their duties? In this podcast, with Susan Skerritt, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses corporate governance practi…

Send us a text Climate change has transitioned from a distant environmental concern to a pressing business issue. The rhetoric between business and climate activists has hardened. Friends of the Earth in the Netherlands have sued Shell and are now in the process of suing ING. What should boards do? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and…

Send us a text The board is a powerful asset for tech start-ups. Yet, since the interaction takes place behind closed doors, there is a lot of uncertainty about how the CEO and director dynamics play out. How open is the communication between both sides? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses…

Send us a text Environmental risks make up half the Top 10 risks over the next ten years. Climate change remains one of the most urgent challenges confronting boards in their oversight capacity. How can boards improve their oversight of climate-related risks? And what does accounting have to do with it? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founde…

Send us a text Generative AI will profoundly impact how we work and how organisations operate. My podcast partner has said that it is the most dramatic change we have seen since controllable electricity. Yet, in our board evaluations, we see little about the systematic integration of AI in the agendas of boards. What questions do Directors need to …

Send us a text What does good look like? What does it mean to lead an effective board? These are probably two of the questions I most often hear. In our board evaluations, we see vast differences in how Chairs and boards perform. In this podcast, I, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses leading an effective …

Send us a text A crucial yet often overlooked aspect of board effectiveness: stories. Imagine a world where numbers and strategies come alive, painting a vivid picture of your company's future. When it comes to decision-making and leadership, how can compelling narratives inspire your board and drive tangible results? The ancient art of storytellin…

Send us a text Executive pay attracts attention and scrutiny as companies and society at large face the challenges of rising prices and interest rates. It is a true challenge to strike the right balance between executives and stakeholders. The big question is: How can companies strike the right balance? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founde…

Send us a text We all have dreams. When we sit in our offices, we probably all wonder what life would be like If we made some different choices. In this 100th podcast of the Better Boards podcast series, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses the inspiring life of a Director with Paul Halpin, who, together wi…

Send us a text One of the most frequently asked questions to Better Boards is “What does it take to be an effective Non-Executive Director?” This podcast will shed some light on the topic. In this podcast, Dr. Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Director of Better Boards, discusses how to be an effective Non-Executive Director with Marianne Lon…

Send us a text The Board as a Team may be a surprising topic. Are Boards of Directors individuals in a group or a Team? If the Board is a team, who is on the team - the Execs, the Non-Executives, or both? The academic literature and practitioners are ambiguous about whether a Board is a team or not. In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder an…

Send us a text When LGBT+ employees feel their employers aren't doing enough to support LGBT+ inclusion, many are prepared to look elsewhere for organisations that do. This is one of the many stark findings from Deloitte's recently released 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion @ Work report, which explores the experiences of more than 5,400 respondents across 13 c…

Send us a text So much of the global discussion of corporate governance focuses on the major themes – ESG, sustainability, stakeholder rights, executive pay, and government regulation. Yet corporate board members on the boardroom front lines often wrestle with basic but crucial issues of "boardsmanship." How do the well-meaning, part-time amateurs …

“The Voice” is one of the two parts of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which was released in 2017 from a convention of 250 Indigenous leaders. The implementation of “The Voice” part of the Uluru Statement is now (2023) underway in the form of a bill before the Australian parliament. On Saturday, 14 October 2023, Australians will vote on a singl…

Send us a text The boardroom is a desirable place, and after a successful Executive career, many wish to embark on a portfolio career and serve on boards. What does it take to make it in the boardroom? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses making it in the boardroom with Imran Saleem. Imran …

Send us a text The landscape of employee relations is changing, particularly in office environments with flexible working. There are many different opinions about how organisations should approach their policies while representing their employees' diversity. The subject of employee engagement sounds simple, but is it? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dem…

Send us a text Risk identification, ownership, and monitoring sit at the highest levels of organisations and are the ultimate responsibility of a firm's board of directors. We hear much about ESG but focus on the E and S acronyms, i.e., 'environmental' and 'social' aspects. However, risks arising from the 'G' – governance – should be at the forefro…

Send us a text In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses Deloitt´s Women @ Work report and what it means for board members, leadership, and anyone working to drive change and achieve true gender equity in the workplace with Emma Codd, Global Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the…

Send us a text AI and generative AI are capturing the headlines. We know it will bring an era of rapid change, new opportunities, and new risks. Existing security protections against spoofing and phishing are now vulnerable, and employees are wondering what it all means for them. Developers of Generative AI are acknowledging the risks. So what shou…

Send us a text It is well-known that the track record for successful acquisition is poor. All kinds of studies with different methodologies generally point to the dangers of acquisitions, some claiming that as much as 70% of deals underperform. So, if the stats are generally correct, this would seem like a massive risk for those governing the enter…

Send us a text Transferring a family-owned enterprise to the next generation raises complex and emotionally charged questions. A Chinese proverb states that "wealth shall not pass three generations." The first generation builds wealth, the second manages it, and the third generation destroys it. In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Ma…

Send us a text So much is written and said about what it means to be an effective Director. However, most are with listed organisations in mind. We aim to readdress the balance with this three-part podcast series on family-owned enterprises. In the first episode, we looked at “The role of boards in family-owned enterprises”. In this episode, we wil…

Send us a text Family-owned or family-led enterprises are the backbone of thriving economies across the world. They account for the majority of companies, providing 70% of the global GDP and 60% of global employment. The long-term success of family-owned enterprises across multiple generations is neither a given nor an easy task. There are many com…

Send us a text As companies in Africa are becoming international players in both operations and sourcing of capital, the need to meet listing requirements of foreign exchanges and appeal to international investors has elevated the importance of corporate governance in Africa. Generally, favourable economic growth expectations and lack of legacy iss…

Send us a text There are many types of differences and diversity, and not all are visible or recognised. But what can be done to build and maintain a truly inclusive and equitable board and organisation? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses building inclusive and equitable cultures with Dr …

Send us a text Corporate mishaps and failures have resulted in boards and governance receiving increased public interest. Despite considerable attention, confusion over what governance is, the role of the board, and how governance might be practiced has resulted in more questions than answers. So, what do boards need to do if they are to become mor…

Send us a text Healthcare in the U.K. is state-funded and led by way of a political manifest. The issues of governance in the National Health Service are complicated, and it is a 'wicked challenge.' The hierarchical structure, multi-layered bureaucracy, and under-investment in the health system are coupled with crippled capital restrictions and a m…

Send us a text Trust is the most potent force underlying the success of every board. When trust is in the room, great things can happen. Yet it can be shattered in an instant, with a devastating impact on the performance and effectiveness of the board and, potentially, ultimately, a company's market cap and reputation. How can boards build and sust…

Send us a text It sounds all so easy – you create a board and expect that this group will be able to add tremendous value. However, serving board members and observers as part of a board evaluation know that high-quality dialogue is not a given. In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses improvin…

The Ropes & Gray Decoding Digital Health podcast series discusses the digital health industry and related legal, business and regulatory issues. In this episode, Digital Health Initiative co-lead and health care partner, Christine Moundas, interviews health care partner and member of the digital health group, David Peloquin. They discuss the legal …

Send us a text In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses with Professor Randall Peterson the role of the board in helping organisations become better at dealing with diversity – moving beyond the presence of diversity to being able to engage diversity to benefit the organisation. Randall is a Pr…

Send us a text There is little doubt that boards are under unprecedented pressure. They face a multitude of widely differing demands and, in many cases, challenges. Increasing demands from different stakeholder groups, tougher legislation, a challenging economic environment and geopolitical challenges all exert pressures on boards. Coming to grips …

Send us a text Geopolitical dynamics have evolved recently and will continue to grow more complex, with even more impact in the foreseeable future. Companies operating in more than one jurisdiction are particularly vulnerable to geopolitical risks, although these can also present opportunities. Can boards afford to steer clear, or is the boardroom …

Send us a text Being digitally conversant in an era of digital transformation is quickly claiming Board attention. Most companies are looking to use technology to improve business models, customer experience, operational efficiency, and more. Boards must help them move forward at a sufficient pace, advocating for change, supporting, and sometimes n…

The Ropes & Gray Decoding Digital Health podcast series discusses the digital health industry and related legal, business and regulatory issues. On this episode, Digital Health Initiative co-lead and IP transactions partner, Megan Baca, is joined by Verily Life Sciences Lead Product Counsel, John Vaughan, to continue their discussion on Verily’s in…