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Bankers around the globe are getting ready for a wave of corporate takeovers. Covid-19 has changed the position of many private and family-owned businesses and they are forced to exit earlier than expected. Others had to put plans on hold to see how Covid pans out. While it is easy to build the case for mergers and acquisitions on paper, most fail and destroy value for their shareholders.  

Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

I am delighted to speak with one of the most respected Chairmen in the UK - Philip Aiken. Phil is the mastermind behind combining AVEVA and Schneider Electric’s industrial software business. The merger is widely regarded as a success. The story does not end there. This week it was announced that the firm is buying data company Osisoft in a deal expected to boost its market value to more than £10billion making Aveva Britains the most valuable software firm. Aveva plc is listed in London on the FTSE100. 

Phil Aiken has just under 50 years of experience in industry and commerce. He is Non-Executive Chairman at Aveva Plc, Chairman of Balfour Beatty plc and the Australian Day Foundation, Non-Executive Director of Newcrest Mining Limited and Director of Gammon China Limited. Previously Phil had numerous high-profile Executive and Board roles in the energy and utility industry in organisations like BHP Billiton, National Grid plc and Macquarie Bank (Europe).

How can we help you and your board? We at Better Boards are delighted to hear from you. You can best reach us at [email protected]. 

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

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COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges. Companies around the world had to rise to the occasion at a speed they previously could not have imagined. Across industries, leaders in the governance profession had to adjust how they work - and what role they should play.

Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. In this episode, I am delighted to talk with David Press about “Resilience in the governance market.”

I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with insiders that have a seat on the table and those that provide professional services about topics that rank high on the agenda.

David has specialised in the recruitment of company secretaries since 1999 and is one of the founding directors of DMJ. He is widely recognised as a leader in his field and the recruitment partner of the ICSA/The Chartered Governance Institute. David’s expertise lies in senior hires, including executive search and the development of aspiring company secretaries as they seek to enter the profession. The annual salary survey for Company Secretaries serves as a reference point for the profession in the UK.

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. 

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

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Governments around the globe are initiating mega projects to revive their economies. It is in all our interests that these megaprojects are well managed. I am talking with Prof Bent Flyvbjerg about Post-Pandemic challenges: Managing megaprojects.

I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with those that service boards about topics that are ranked high on the agenda.

In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Prof Bent Flyvbjerg.

Bent Flyvbjerg is the first BT Professor and inaugural Chair of Major Programme Management at Saïd Business School and a Professorial Fellow of St Anne’s College.

Flyvbjerg is the most cited scholar in the world in megaproject management. He serves as advisor and consultant to government and business, including the US and UK governments and several Fortune 500 companies. He is an external advisor to McKinsey and other consultancies. He has worked on some of the largest projects in the world, on all aspects from front-end planning, delivery, and rescue of failing projects.

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. 

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. I am Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with those that are at the serving boards about topics that are high on a board’s agenda.

In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Susan Hooper.

Susan is Chair of  Caresourcer.com and sits on the Boards of Uber UK, The Rank Group plc and Affinity Water Ltd.. Susan is also a Director of Chapter Zero, an organisation dedicated to providing education, insight and support on climate change to Non-Executive Board Directors and Chairs and actively involved in several start-ups in property and medical technology.

Prior to her plural life, Susan was Managing Director of British Gas Residential Services, Chief Executive of Acromas Group Travel Division and held senior roles at Royal Caribbean International, Avis Europe, PepsiCo International, McKinsey & Co, and Saatchi & Saatchi living in over 7 countries worldwide.

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. Thank you for listening.

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. I am talking with Mark Tennant about Post-Pandemic challenges: the role of the Chair in managing investor relations.

I am Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfill our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with those that serve boards - about topics that rank high on the agenda.

In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Mark Tennant.  

Mark has extensive experience chairing boards in the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong. His experience ranges from small start-ups through plc boards to trade bodies and charities.

Mark is Chairman of BMO Private Equity Trust plc, Scottish Land and Estates, the trade body for landowning in Scotland, Centrica Pensions, a Non-Executive Director of Unit Trust of India International and a Trustee of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Previously he chaired the boards of Scottish Financial Enterprise, the trade body for financial services in Scotland, Scottish Stockbrokers Bell Lawrie White Ltd, Hill Samuel Unit Trusts and Hill Samuel Private Clients Ltd. 

Mark also has broad political experience, having stood for Westminster against Gordon Brown in 1992 and as a candidate for the Highlands and Islands in the European elections of 1994. 

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. 

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. I am Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with those that are at the serving boards about topics that are high on a board’s agenda.

All the views expressed in our podcasts are the views of our podcast partners and NOT those of Better Boards. 

In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Laura McNeil.  

Laura is Assistant Company Secretary and International Share Plans Manager at Blue Prism Group plc, an AIM-listed robotic process automation software company. Prior to this, she has held company secretarial roles at FTSE250 retailer N Brown Group and AIM-listed NWF Group. Laura was named as an innovator on DMJ & Computershare’s Governance Hot 100 2020 list. She has spoken about automation and how company secretaries can embrace technology at ProShare, The Governance Institute, and AWCS events.

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. 

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. I am Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with those that are at the serving boards about topics that are high on a board’s agenda.

All the views expressed in our podcasts are the views of our podcast partners and NOT those of Better Boards. 

In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Frank Satterwhite, Founder and CEO of 1600 Cyber, an American-owned Pan-European Cybersecurity consultancy. 

Frank is a known, global cybersecurity expert and social influencer. A former NATO and US Military cyber consultant with roots in Silicon Valley and the EU, he has a purposeful vision that has driven his career: Making the world a better place, by protecting society through technology.

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. 

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. I am Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. We make the boards of the most ambitious organisations more effective. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with those that are at the serving boards about topics that are high on a board’s agenda.

All the views expressed in our podcasts are the views of our podcast partners and NOT those of Better Boards. 

In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Ron Mobed.  

Ron has a history of success in growing and transitioning businesses through innovation and by focusing on customer needs. He has a wide range of U.S. and international experience in the energy and information industries, especially in digital transformation. He is a Non-Executive Director of Aveva PLC, an FTSE100 software company. From August 2012 to February 2019 Ron was CEO of Elsevier. Elsevier is the largest operating unit of RELX Group PLC (LSE: RELX) - a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers and one of the 20 largest public companies in the UK.

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. Thank you for listening.

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Better Boards podcast series. 

Thank you for listening to the Better Boards podcast series. I am Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards. Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfil our mission, we give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, I speak with those that are serving on boards about topics that are high on the board’s agenda.

All the views expressed in our podcasts are the views of our podcast partners and NOT those of Better Boards. 

In this episode, I am delighted to talk with Sarah Walker-Smith.  

Sarah Walker-Smith is the CEO of Shakespeare Martineau. She is the first female, non-lawyer CEO in the legal top 50.  

Sarah is a trained accountant having worked for PWC and Deloitte and Boots plc. She regularly speaks at national leadership events, is a governor at Nottingham Trent University, on the board of the West Midlands CBI Council and a member of the Society of Leadership Fellows at St George’s House - a society only open to 250 leaders worldwide. Sarah recognises the importance of life beyond work and enjoys writing, directing and performing in musical theatre productions.

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. Thank you for listening.

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].

Send us Fan Mail

Our mission at Better Boards is to contribute to creating better boards. We do this by providing clients with an evidence-based approach for board evaluations and board development programmes. 

To fulfil our mission, we would like to give a voice to all who are care about creating better boards.

All the views expressed in our podcasts are the views of our podcast partners and NOT those of Better Boards. 

New episodes are available every first and third Thursday of the month. In this episode, I am honoured to talk with Malcolm McKenzie.

Malcolm McKenzie is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal and Head of the European Corporate Transformation Services practice in London. He brings 30 years of experience in advising senior management and boards on improving top-line and bottom-line performance and has completed over 70 cost reduction, transformation, mergers and acquisitions and carve-out engagements across corporate and private equity-owned businesses. 

Malcolm has served on several boards and worked with Chairmen and Boards of Directors on evaluating and improving board and company performance. He has also led a series of research programmes into Board leadership and has served as a judge on the Non-Executive Director Awards in the UK since their inception.

How can we help you and your board to become more effective? We at Better Boards are always delighted to hear from you. Get in touch. You can best reach us at [email protected]. Thank you for listening.

Better Boards goes beyond box‑ticking. We bring together chairs, directors and governance leaders who want board effectiveness grounded in independent research and external benchmarks. Our proprietary, peer‑reviewed methodology shows how your board truly compares across all dimensions of effective boards.

If you would like to join the community, experience our research‑based approach to board evaluations, explore ways to work with us, or share ideas for The Better Boards Podcast, we would be glad to hear from you at [email protected].