The Better Boards Podcast Series

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Better Boards Podcast, Professor Katja Langenbucher explores how boards can embrace AI to future-proof their decision-making. Dr. Sabine Dembkowski speaks with Katja, a law professor at Goethe University in Frankfurt and affiliated with SciencesPo, Paris. She serves on the supervisory boards of BaFin and IEP, bringing extensive boardroom and academic experie...

Send us Fan Mail In an era marked by rapid change, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, and economic volatility, understanding how analysts perceive boards is more important than ever. We turned to an analyst who operates independently of major financial institutions for a truly candid perspective. In this episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder an...

Send us Fan Mail In recent years, transformation skills have become increasingly important at the board level, with culture and talent rising high on the agenda. Yet, there’s still a noticeable absence of HR professionals in the boardroom. Why? In this episode of the Better Boards Podcast Series , Dr. Sabine Dembkowski speaks with Devyani P. Vaishampayan, Remco Chair and NED at Norman Broadbent Pl...

Send us Fan Mail Artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionise boardrooms in today's rapidly evolving business landscape. Still, this rapid change threatens to distance boards from the companies they serve if proper care is not taken in implementing both the technology and the governance around it. In this podcast, Dr. Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discuss...

Send us Fan Mail Over the last decade, climate and sustainability have become more of a focus for boards and sub-committees. However, there is currently a lot of conflicting noise around this agenda. So, there is a lot for boards to digest around this topic, making it an opportune time to take stock of where we are and what boards should consider. In this podcast, Dr. Sabine Dembkowski, Founder an...

Send us Fan Mail Employee representation is a specific requirement for German boards, but global boards can learn from Germany. More and more boards have an employee representative, mostly a director, who brings employees’ perspectives back to the board.  In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, founder and managing partner of Better Boards, discusses employee representation on the board with Gabrie...

Send us Fan Mail The boardroom tango is where strategy meets execution, highlighting the dynamic dance between the board and executives in steering an organisation. But what does an executive have to do in order to really get the most out of non-executives?  How does this dance between the two work? How can it be influenced and improved? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing...

Send us Fan Mail This episode highlights decision-making errors affecting high-stakes boards. Using concepts like bias, ‘deaf spots,’ and ‘tone-deaf leadership,’ it outlines misjudgment traps as warning signs and solutions to mental misinformation. It explores human misjudgment in boards, from ego to identity and false narratives. Dr. Sabine Dembkowski, Founder of Better Boards, discusses navigati...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered how to sell a bold idea in the boardroom? Not just an idea different from what your organisation usually tends to do, but a really bold one that breaks ground in your industry? What does it take? What do you need? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses selling bold ideas in the boardroom with Dr Andy P...

Send us Fan Mail Every year, the world's preeminent leadership advisory firm, Egon Zehnder, surveys CEOs to identify issues and challenges they face and how they deal with them. In this podcast, we highlight key findings and discuss the implications for CEOs and Nomination Committees challenged to align on the search criteria for CEOs In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managin...

Send us Fan Mail There are many different types of crises, and how boards deal with them, so it is prudent to be aware of typical mistakes, what works, and what boards can do to deal well with these situations.   Are there any ‘golden rules’ that can serve as a starting point to prepare a board and ensure effectiveness and performance in a crisis? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and...

Send us Fan Mail The ESG narrative has become familiar but does not yet confront the challenges of a world where interest in sustainability is waning in some regions, political and economic divides are widening, and technology is reshaping the rules of the game.  How can boards maintain momentum on climate and social issues when governments are focused on regulation and public interest is fracture...

Send us Fan Mail The board is responsible for appointing the CEO, and the relationship between the Chair and the CEO is crucial - but often not easy.  So what matters when selecting a CEO, and how can we establish and develop a good relationship between the Chair and the CEO?  In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, discusses the crucial relationship b...

Send us Fan Mail Amid global uncertainty, are boardrooms needlessly complex? Is It possible to thrive in the boardroom by keeping things simple?  In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Director of Better Boards www.better-boards.com, discusses being on the board with Sir John Tusa.  Sir John has been known to the public as the main presenter of BBC2's Newsnight and the Ma...

Send us Fan Mail Most Directors serve on boards in one or two countries. The argument often is that one Most Directors serve on boards in one or two countries. The argument often is that one has to understand the legal requirements and the cultural context. Is this the only way in our connected world? In this podcast, Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boards, reflects wi...

Send us Fan Mail 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 when evaluating tech boards, especially in startup...

Send us Fan Mail 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 players in the market - regulators, state officia...

Send us Fan Mail 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 they approach this agenda, and if so, how?  In...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Boards, discusses mastering internal board...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Sabine Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partne...

Send us Fan Mail 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 of Better Boards, discusses using AI and advanc...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Dembkowski, Founder and Managing Partner of Better Boa...

Send us Fan Mail 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 focus amidst their expanding responsibiliti...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Managing Partner, discusses this issue with Andrew H...

Send us Fan Mail 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 doing more to be truly inclusive. In this podcast, D...