June 26, 2025 | Hosted by Boards Impact Forum
In an era defined by disruption, complexity, and systemic risks, how can boards evolve to stay effective and future-ready?
Boards Impact Forum brought together board members for an inspiring live session with internationally recognized governance expert Helle Bank Jørgensen, supported by boardroom veterans Monica Lagercrantz and Håkan Broman, to explore how the future boardroom must transform to meet the challenges of our times.
The session centered around insights from Helle’s latest book, The Future Boardroom: How to Transform in Turbulent Times, which outlines five key imperatives for board transformation—providing a roadmap for board directors looking to lead with relevance, resilience, and responsibility.
Table of Contents
Five Transformative Imperatives for the Boardroom of the Future
Helle’s keynote unpacked the central themes from her book, based on interviews with over 100 global governance leaders. Her call to action was clear: the world is changing too fast for boardrooms to remain static. Boards must fundamentally transform in the following five areas:
- Redefining Purpose
Boards must move beyond shareholder primacy to champion sustainable, long-term value creation. Purpose must be real—not just a statement, but embedded in audits, algorithms, and operations. - Embracing Diverse Expertise
Diverse perspectives and capabilities are essential to navigate multi-dimensional risks. From AI to climate, boards need members with curiosity, courage, and a systems-thinking mindset. - Deepening Stakeholder Engagement
Legitimacy and trust come from listening—not only to shareholders, but also to employees, customers, communities, and nature itself. - Overseeing Technology and AI with Foresight
Boards will increasingly be judged on how they govern what they don’t fully understand. That means asking the right questions and establishing AI ethics and oversight as core board functions. - Committing to Continuous Learning
The role of the board is no longer a static badge of honor. It’s a service. And to serve well, directors must continuously upskill and stay alert to emerging issues.
“You do not sit on a board. You serve.” – Helle Bank Jørgensen
Insights from the Panel: What’s Shifting in the Boardroom?
Following the keynote, Helle was joined by Monica Lagercrantz and Håkan Broman, who reflected on how the themes resonate in the Nordic and global boardrooms.
Monica Lagercrantz emphasized the need to rethink how boards operate—moving from rigid formality to a more agile, future-focused mindset. Based on hundreds of board evaluations, she stressed:
“The role of the board is often misunderstood—not in a legal sense, but in terms of its real purpose. Boards must take the time to align on their role and how they deliver value, or they risk becoming obsolete.” – Monica Lagercrantz
She pointed to the mismatch between rising complexity and outdated boardroom structures:
- Strategy can no longer be a once-a-year topic.
- Board evaluations must move from periodic to continuous.
- Board composition must evolve to include not just experience, but agility, curiosity, and courage.
Håkan Broman echoed the importance of purpose, calling on boards to return to first principles:
“The core purpose of a board is to create value—value aligned with the company’s mission.”
He also stressed the importance of integrating human dynamics, decision quality, and a data-driven approach into board processes.
What Boards Must Leave Behind
Panelists challenged attendees to identify outdated practices that hold boards back:
- Excessive focus on compliance over forward-looking oversight.
- Inefficient agendas that spend time on what directors already know.
- Static composition and long tenures without fresh perspectives.
- Overreliance on presentations, rather than dialogue and decision-making.
Instead, the modern board must:
- Invert agendas to prioritize strategic foresight.
- Use temporary or thematic committees to increase agility.
- Invite emerging leaders into board conversations (e.g. reverse mentoring).
- Cultivate psychological safety and value dissent as a strength.
What Did Participants Say?
A live poll of board directors in the session revealed key gaps and opportunities:
- Only 40% felt their boards currently have the competencies to navigate today’s turbulence.
- Over 58% said their board lacks sufficient training in key areas like AI.
- A majority admitted their current processes do not enable the speed needed in a fast-changing world.
This reveals a clear mandate: boards must invest in building new capabilities and mindsets to lead in uncertainty.
Breakout Reflections: What Shift is Most Needed?
Participants explored two questions in peer breakout discussions:
- What is one shift your board must make to be more future-ready?
- What stands in the way of that shift?
Recurring themes included:
- Embedding sustainability and AI governance into strategy
- Restructuring board agendas for speed and focus
- Improving onboarding and continuous education
- Creating space for reflective discussion—not just reporting
Final Word
The future boardroom is not just a more digital or diverse version of today’s boardroom—it’s a fundamentally different leadership paradigm. It is one that is purpose-led, stakeholder-connected, technology-aware, and committed to lifelong learning.
As Helle reminds us:
“Governance will be tested not just by the markets, but by nature, technology, and society.”
Will your board be ready?
Learn More
At Boards Impact Forum, we remain committed to supporting NEDs in this evolving landscape, ensuring sustainability and governance go hand in hand.
Webinars, Peer Exchanges and Events
Check our upcoming events, all with NED Guest Speakers and Peer Exchange:
- 📌 September 4: Responsible AI Program – Early bird available through August 17
- 📌 September 25: Sustainability Program – Early bird available through August 17
Board Programs
Sign up for our programs:
- Boards Oversight of Sustainability – Early bird available through August 17
- Boards Oversight of Responsible AI – Early bird available through August 17
Become a Member
Want to be part of the transition? Become a member of Boards Impact Forum and shape the future of governance.
About Boards Impact Forum and the blogpost
This blogpost is also shared at the blog of of Digoshen, www.digoshen.com.
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