The Corporate Director Podcast

What really differentiates the world’s most ethical boards from the rest, and how does that translate into better performance and risk oversight? In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, ethics and compliance leaders Erica Salmon Byrne, Chief Strategy Officer at Ethisphere and Executive Chair of the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance, and Neta Meidav, Vice President of Business and Prod...

Quantum computing is moving from theory to boardroom reality—and with it comes a new class of cyber risk and strategic opportunity. In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Diligent Institute’s Senior Research & Programs Manager, Kira Ciccarelli, speaks with Dr. Aaron Kemp, US Quantum Leader at KPMG, about what corporate directors really need to know now.

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Tracy Nolan shares practical lessons on how boards can lead more effectively through transformation, disruption, and growth. Drawing on experience as a Fortune 100 senior executive, growth strategist, and board director, she explains why boards should pay close attention not only to formal decisions, but also to the signals they send through the q...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, board member and technologist Roosevelt Giles shares a practical roadmap for boards grappling with AI, cybersecurity, and the broader tech revolution reshaping corporate value. Giles explains why every CEO is now effectively a technology CEO—and why boards must rapidly catch up.

In this episode, we explore how the landscape of corporate risk management and sustainability is transforming boardroom dynamics, driven by global regulatory shifts, technological advancements, and stakeholder expectations. Our guest, Mike Wallace, sheds light on the strategic importance of real-time data, ESG disclosures, and integrating sustainability into core business processes. 

In this episode of The Corporate Director Podcast, guest Joe Hurd explains why boards can no longer rely on quarterly geopolitical risk reviews in an era of poly-crisis—where multiple shocks unfold simultaneously across regions and risk categories. Drawing on his cross-sector board experience and public service background, Joe lays out how directors can move toward continuous risk oversight, build...

In this episode, Meghan Day sits down with Caroline Montalbano, partner at Meridian Compensation Partners, to unpack the SEC’s potential changes to executive compensation disclosure rules and what boards and compensation committees should be doing now to stay ahead. They explore how a nearly 20-year-old disclosure framework, layered with additions like the CEO pay ratio and pay versus performance...

In this episode of The Corporate Director Podcast, Meghan Day is joined by James White, former chair, president and CEO of Jamba and current chair of The Honest Company, to unpack why culture is the defining factor in whether organizations successfully navigate disruption. White explains his core thesis that companies have culture either “by design or by default,” and argues that the best organiza...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Meghan Day sits down with Claudia Allen, Senior Advisor at KPMG’s Board Leadership Center, to explore how the rapid advance of AI, rising geopolitical tensions, and shifting industrial policies are reshaping corporate strategy and board oversight. Claudia brings her deep governance expertise and legal background to unpack the emerging “geotec...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, guest host Nithya Das, General Manager of Governance and Chief Legal Officer at Diligent, sits down with Elena Hera and Kaitlin Betancourt, partners at Goodwin, to unpack how AI is reshaping board oversight, legal risk, and the tempo of governance. They explore what reasonably informed AI oversight looks like, how to build an effective AI governan...

In this episode of The Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger sits down with board member, CEO and strategist Josh Klein to unpack what evolutions in AI technology will mean for entire countries, companies and corporate boards. He shares lessons from advising governments like Iceland and Zanzibar on national AI strategies, and explains why AI is both critical infrastructure and power...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger sits down with Earl Newsome, Chief Information Officer at Cummins Inc. and board member at First Independence Bank, to explore how directors can bring a technologist mindset into the boardroom without being “siloed” as the tech person. Together, they dig into what boards often misunderstand about technology, how AI and dig...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Diligent Institute’s Kira Ciccarelli sits down with Melanie Nolen, Head of Research at Chief Executive Group, to unpack the latest findings from the long running What Directors Think survey of U.S. public company directors. Since 2002, this benchmark study has tracked how board priorities, risks and composition are evolving and the 2026 edition sh...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger welcomes returning guest Anddria Varnado, board member at Pattern Beauty, Red Robin and Columbia Bank, to explore how the director’s role has evolved from guarding stability to governing continuous transformation. Together they unpack how boards can sharpen their oversight of AI, M&A-driven growth, and capital allocati...

In this special year- end edition of the Corporate Director Podcast, Dottie Schindlinger and Meghan Day sit down with TK Kerstetter to grade their 2025 governance predictions.  Headlines included OpenAI’s nonprofit-to-for-profit pivot (likely paving the way to an IPO), boards elevating AI oversight to a priority, and Elon Musk–related governance flashpoints spanning compensation, jurisdiction, and...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger talks with workplace culture expert Bree Groff, author of  Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously) . Bree makes the case that valuing “human days” is a strategic lever for performance, retention, and risk oversight, and why directors should care. She shares early warning signs like the disappearance of “orange flags”—...

On this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger sits down with Maria Garcia‑Nielsen, an independent director at Mibanco, Lantana Group, and Base Protection Group and founder of Wharton Alumni for Boards, to unpack how sector fundamentals should anchor board conversations across regions. From the rising prominence of geopolitics on agendas to regional nuances in regional...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger talks with Tracey-Lee Brown, director at PwC’s Governance Insights Center, about the latest update to PwC’s ESG Corporate Directors Guide and how boards should navigate today’s politicized sustainability landscape.  They explore shifting from a rear‑view, compliance-only mindset to a forward‑looking strategy: identifying m...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Catie Hall and Ariel Smilowitz from PwC’s Governance Insights Center unpack findings from PwC’s Annual Corporate Directors Survey and translate them into practical actions for boards. They explore growing pressure for board refreshment, the need for personal accountability and continuous learning, and why many assessments still don’t drive meaning...

In this episode of The Corporate Director Podcast, Rich Mullen, Partner in Wilson Sonsini’s M&A Practice, and Ranga Bodla, Vice President, Field Engagement and Marketing at NetSuite, Meghan Day to unpack a new joint report exploring transaction readiness in today’s unpredictable market. The conversation dives into governance gaps, board alignment, tech adoption, and the evolving role of boards...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast Catie Hall, Director at PwC’s Governance Insights Center, unpacks how boards can stay ahead in a fast-changing cyber landscape. She spotlights the need for ongoing director education to tackle threats like AI and global instability, urges hands-on prep with tabletop exercises, and advocates building stronger board-CISO ties through frequent, candid...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Neta Meidav, Co-Founder and CEO of the Vault Platform and Lloydette Bai-Marrow, Director at Fraud Sentinel discuss the "failure to prevent fraud" offense under the UK Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, which came into effect on September 1st. This new regulation significantly impacts large companies, both within and outside the UK, by...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Cindy Moehring, an experienced independent director and former Chief Compliance Officer, discusses the evolving role of compliance officers in today's complex regulatory environment. Cindy shares her insights on the biggest challenges facing compliance teams, particularly in global organizations, and highlights the importance of technology in enha...

In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Claudia Allen, Senior Advisor at KPMG’s Board Leadership Center, shares insights from KPMG’s Board Leadership Center recent survey of private company boards. The discussion covers challenges in strategic planning, the importance of scenario planning, and navigating the impact of AI on private companies.  

This episode of the Corporate Director Podcast features Beena Ammanath, Global Head of Deloitte's AI Institute. Beena discusses her career background in AI and her perspectives on responsible AI adoption. She shares her insights on the importance of AI literacy, decision-making frameworks, and the need for leaders to proactively address workforce disruptions caused by AI integration. She emphasize...