“In moments of crisis, great boards are always available.”

This week’s guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast is Monica Collings OBE, the former CEO who led retail energy companies through the Covid pandemic and the energy crisis brought on by the war in Ukraine.

She shares with us the boardroom stories that have shaped her career, including an insolvency, threats from members of the public, and personal tragedy.

Monica is also a champion of diversity in the workplace, leading to her being awarded an OBE in 2025, and shares her experiences of overcoming misogyny in the boardroom.

With her vast experience in the energy sector, she now sits on a number of boards as Non-Executive Director, and as Chair of the electric vehicle charge point operator Plug N Go.

Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.

Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn

Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en

This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) Introduction 

(01:35) Handling the Energy Crisis

(05:23) Personal Threats and Public Perception

(10:17) Tragedy at Plug and Go

(14:02) Navigating Insolvency at Swarm Energy

(18:33) Female Representation in the Boardroom

“ I think the relationship between the CEO and the chairman is essential, always.”

This week’s guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast is Jorge Titinger, former CEO of SGI – one of the leading global companies in high-performance computing – and prior to that, CEO of Verigy.

He shares with us the boardroom stories that have shaped his career, including being on the receiving end of a “near-hostile” takeover in Silicon Valley, managing egos in the boardroom, and the time a senior leader was convicted of a crime. 

Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained that one relationship needs fostering above all others in the boardroom, that of the chairman and the CEO.

He also shares his views on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, succession planning and why being prepared for board meetings is crucial for success.

Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.

Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn

Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en

This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:19) Boardroom Pressure: A High-Stakes Takeover

(13:27) Lessons in Board Recruitment

(15:50) Handling Crisis Situations

(19:00) Succession Planning Challenges

(21:54) The Role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

”We would never have got the Nissan Leaf to market had it not been for the unwavering support of the CEO. He gave us the air cover.”

This week’s guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast is Andy Palmer, dubbed ‘The Godfather of Electric Vehicles’, he is the former Chief Operating Officer at Nissan and the former CEO of the iconic car maker, Aston Martin. 

He shares with us the boardroom stories that have shaped his career, including persuading Nissan’s board to invest in the first mass-market electric vehicle, and taking on a heritage company, Aston Martin, that was facing bankruptcy. 

Andy introduces us to the Japanese concept of Nemawashi, the process of building consensus and gathering support for a decision before a formal announcement. He compares that to what he calls  ”a typical, more confrontational, western board”.

He also talks about the importance of making sure board members are properly prepared for meetings, nervousness in the boardroom, and why he believes every FTSE chairman should sit on a startup board.

Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.

Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn

Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en

This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:32) Boardroom Pressure at Aston Martin

(04:27) Launching the DBX SUV: Overcoming Internal Resistance

(14:23) The Nissan Leaf Story

(20:46) Self-confidence

“Any board can get rid of one chief executive, some boards can get rid of two, no board can get rid of three… we had to resign. Which we did.”

Our first guest on the Broadroom Confidential podcast is Sir John Tusa, who has been involved in arts management and leadership for more than 30 years.

He shares with us the boardroom stories that have shaped his career, including boardroom resignations at the English National Opera and balancing risk and opportunity at the British Museum.

He talks about the importance of getting your board composition right, and why worrying too much about risk can affect a board’s effectiveness.

John previously ran the Barbican Centre and sat on some of the major British arts boards including the British Museum, the English National Opera, and Wigmore Hall.

He also served as Chairman of the Board at the University Arts London for six years and co-chaired The European Youth Orchestra.

Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.

Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn

Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en

This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00) Introduction
(01:53) Crisis at The English National Opera
(07:24) The Importance of Physical Board Meetings
(11:46) Grayson Perry on the Board
(13:35) What Makes an Effective Board Committee?
(21:44) The Crucial Chair and CEO Relationship

Introducing Boardroom Confidential, a brand new podcast where journalist and board member Emily Sheffield takes senior business figures through three big agenda items: the boardroom pressure that tests every leader, the lessons learned around the table, and the dynamics that can make or break organisations. Discover the stories leaders usually only share with their peers. Brought to you by Sherpany, the meeting management solution for board and executive teams.

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