The Future Boardroom - by Helle Bank Jorgensen (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

" A significant rethink of what is required of boards and board members to effectively execute their oversight mandate."

Ronald O' Hanley, chairman and CEO, State Street

At a time when many corporate leaders are turning away from progressive environmental and social policies, does this mean that the drive for corporate sustainability has crashed and burned? Helle Bank Jorgensen, who advises corporate boards around the world on how to deal with turbulent times, says the answer is a resounding No. Corporations still face urgent demands from regulators, politicians, customers, and other stakeholders to clean up their environmental behaviour and treat people fairly. This gives board members the complicated task of steering organizations that are facing conflicting demands from many quarters. This book, with insights from some of the world's top executives and board leaders, shows how boards should operate to deal with these unprecedented challenges, and how they can work better.

Review Quotes

"Companies must be profitable. But it matters even more whether their profits come at the expense of society or contribute to its wider health. In this important book, Helle Bank Jorgensen explains why the latter is even more important in today's turbulent times and how boards can and must ensure success."
Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator, Financial Times

"During a typical board meeting a member has about three opportunities to ask a high- impact question. The Future Boardroom is loaded with high-impact questions ready to shape to your specific situation. As a board member, you add more value by the questions you ask rather than the statements you make."
Chad Holliday, former chairman, Royal Dutch Shell and Bank of America

"In an era of rapidly changing geopolitics, views on trade, sustainability requirements and technology advances, Helle clearly articulates the implications for boards and the urgent need to reevaluate what serving on a board truly means. She presents a clear case that urgent change is required and articulates compelling solutions unburdened by ideology. A must-read for boards and policymakers alike."
Ronald O'Hanley, chairman and CEO, State Street

"In this book, Helle offers a timely and thought-provoking look at what the boardroom of the future could look like. This isn't just a book for CEOs or board members--it's for anyone who cares about the future of leadership. In a world where it can sometimes feel that smart governance doesn't matter, Helle makes a compelling case, using real-world examples and expert insights, that boards can--and must--evolve to stay effective and relevant."
Francesca Ecsery, director, Air France, and several other companies

"Helle's book represents her career high point of thinking about, analyzing and finding solutions to sustainability issues. This book can help readers find a distinctive path for their companies."
R. Gopalakrishnan, former executive director, Tata Sons

The Future Boardroom is not just a roadmap for corporate governance--it's a manifesto for reimagining leadership and transformation in an era of existential risks. The book stands out because it is deeply human. Helle Bank Jorgensen doesn't just discuss sustainability or stakeholder capitalism as trendy ideas. Instead, she shows that focus on profit, purpose and outcomes can work together, breaking the myth that they're somehow incompatible. She argues convincingly that directors, as company stewards, are responsible to leave the society in which they operate in a better state. With her trademark Competent Boards ten questions at the end of each chapter and the very practical Call to Action in the last chapter, this is an essential reference manual for experienced, new and budding company directors across our creaking planet.
Garry Willinge, non-executive director, Manulife International

About the Author

Helle Bank Jorgensen, the CEO and founder of Competent Boards, is an internationally recognized voice on sustainable governance practices.

A business lawyer and certified public accountant by training, Helle is a member of the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence, World Economic Forum Expert Network for Corporate Governance, Leadership, and Emerging Multinationals, and the co-chair of the global expert panel Accounting for Sustainability established by King Charles III.

A native of Denmark, Helle now lives in Canada, where she was named one of Canada's Most Powerful Women in 2022 and recognized by The Globe and Mail as a "Global Changemaker" in 2023. In 2024, she received the Corporate Governance Lifetime Achievement Award in New York City. In November 2024, IR (Investor Relation) Magazine inducted her into the Corporate Governance Hall of Fame.

Board members and executives in over 55 countries - many from Fortune 500 companies - have achieved certification from Competent Boards. They have gone on to help their companies mitigate the risks and seize the opportunities presented by the ever-evolving governance landscape.

Her Amazon bestseller, Stewards of the Future: A Guide for Competent Boards, was published in 2022 and has sold nearly 10,000 copies. She is a regular contributor to the Financial Times' FT Agenda and Board Agenda and has been interviewed by many leading publications. Prior to founding Competent Boards, she was a partner at PwC.