Boardroom&Beyond Podcast

In this episode, Lyndsey talks with Rosa Zeegers, Partner of Newport LLC, a Marketing & Branding Strategist and Transformational Global Business Executive. Rosa had successfully led global Fortune 500 brands and businesses in various industries, ranging from Consumer Goods (Unilever), to Airlines (KLM Royal Dutch Airlines), Toys & Entertainment (Mattel), Retail (Justice) and Publishing, Events & Entertainment (National Geographic), to new growth levels.

Their conversation of this episode is about Branding Strategy and how some world-class companies transform ESG integration into business branding opportunities…

Conversation Topics with timestamps:

Consumer / Create needs for consumer / making money out of it

• Rosa’s experiences - “Must-Listen” companies’ marketing & branding stories (2:00)

(Unilever, Barbie, National Geographic ……)

• Transaction ready consulting roles with family business focus (12:00)

• Corporate Branding vs. Consumer Branding (15:00)

• Rosa’s 4-step Branding strategy Recipe (20:00)

• Is ESG integration a motivation for companies to modify their Branding strategy? How? (26:00)

• Are companies make ESG integration for reputation risk mitigation? Or new business opportunities? (31:00)

• How will the young generations influence business Branding strategy? (35:00)

• How do companies translate ESG implementation to a successful Branding strategy? (40:00)

In this episode, Lyndsey talks with Dr. Fabio Oliveira. Dr. Oliveira has more than 14 years as an academic. He teaches management, digital technologies, marketing, digital transformation, and business strategy for MBA and Master students in Business School Sao Paulo, Fundacao Armando Alvares Penteado, University of Hertfordshire, University of Ulster, London Metropolitan University, University of Solent and Henley Business School. Dr. Oliveira is a certified instructor of Artificial Intelligence of the Huawei ICT Academy at Henley Business School. He is the author of academic papers and a contributor to book chapters. 

Their conversation of this episode is about Dr. Oliveira’s opinions on the impact of digital transformation to boardroom and board members, based on his research findings.

Conversation Topics with timestamps:

• Fabio’s experience teaching at Huawei ICT Academy at Reading University (6:00)

• The most notable changes in the boardroom (corporate governance mechanism) due to digital technology transformation accelerated by the pandemic? (9:00)

• The top opportunities digital technology brought to corporate board and the board directors? How board directors can embrace these opportunities? (18:00)

• The top challenges for board directors to make the digital transformation? Any good roadmap, or good practice from Fabio’s research interview? (24:00)

• The evolving of board stewardship and management roles in the future – how to draw the line between board and management? (30:00)

• With the influence in boardroom from younger generation investors and board directors who are tech savvy, what kind of further impact from digital technology to board governance? (36:00)

In this episode, Lyndsey talks with Advocate (Adv.) Selebalo Ntepe, the Deputy Chairman of the Institute of Directors Lesotho.

Advocate (Adv.) Selebalo Ntepe was part of a team of Corporate Governance practitioners which developed Lesotho’s first governance code, the Mohlomi Corporate Governance Code. He was entrusted to present the highlights of code during its international launch in August 2021.  

Their conversation of this episode covers topics regarding Lesotho’s economy, culture, corporate governance landscape, the role of Lesotho’s culture in its first set of corporate governance code, and how the corporate governance code will impact different stakeholders, and the tops places to go in Lesotho……

Conversation Highlights

• Brief overview about Lesotho’s economy (5:40)

• Lesotho’s main business relationships with multinational companies from the west and from China (9:00)

• Top governance challenges in local government organizations, which might be overcome with the guidance from the newly launched Corporate Governance Code? (12:40)

• What is the role of Lesotho’s culture in the development of Lesotho corporate governance code with the corporate governance challenges of multinational companies and local SOEs (17:40)

• How does the board of director of the biggest milling company looks like? Board committees, board functions, board members, professionalism, etc.? What are the strength and weakness of this company’s board? (23:00)

• The trend of corporate governance practice development for business in Lesotho in the next 5-10 years, which the new CG code (29:00)

• Advices for Chinese multinational companies’ African operation to improve their corporate governance and business practice (37:00)

Guest Contact Info.:

Selebalo Ntepe:

•         Email: [email protected]
•         Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/selebalo-ntepe-11737071

In this episode, Lyndsey talks with Michele Wucker, famous author and policy analyst. Michele’s newly published book, You Are What You Risk: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World is a must-read book to understand the connections between individuals’ risk profile and global risk management.

Introduction and Overview

• Focuses on risk (3:09)

• Brings many facets together so non-specialists can access information and knowledge (3:45)

Inspiration and Motivation for New Book

• How the feedback of The Gray Rhino book tour inspired the idea of this new book (5:59)

• How can the new book help readers understand their risk personalities (8:44)

Risk Fingerprint Concept and its Application to Individuals and Organizations

• How do various factors affect the company’s risk profiles (11:37)

• How do leaders’ personal risk fingerprint affect companies’ risks profile (12:47)

• How countries’ risk cultures influence risk management decisions (14:07)

Risk Appetite and Risk Attitude

• Chinese characters of Crisis - “Wei” “Ji” (18:40)

• How someone perceives the risk influences risk tolerance and risk appetite (20:25)

• How training and education can change risk appetite and risk attitude (23:10)

Global Risk Management and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Movement

• Challenges for global ESG movement (28:37)

• How Olympic style competition could propel ESG movement (29:29)

Is the New Generation Really “Risk Averse”?

• Why “Risk Averse” is not the proper description for new generations (33:30)

Takeaway Points of New Book (37:51)

Advice to Business Book Authors (41:20)

In this episode, Lyndsey talks with Professor Lourdes Casanova, the senior lecturer of management and director of Emerging Markets Institute at Cornell University. She has been devoting her research in emerging markets multinational companies for many years with numerous publications and books regarding multinational companies.

Introduction and Overview

- Lourdes focuses her research on emerging multinationals (2:10)

Emerging Multinationals vs Multinational Companies from Advanced Countries

- Emerging Multinationals

• Younger companies (5:16)

• Companies born in an unstable and volatile environment (5:28)

• Go global to avoid intrinsic risk of home environment (5:54)

- Chinese Multinationals (6:11)

• More stable environment (6:17)

• Support of the government (6:24)

• Large internal market to build support for company (6:31)

Role of Government in Chinese State-Owned Enterprises (SOE’s) (7:45)

- Importance of innovation (8:36)

- Benefit from:

• Growth of their own economy (11:18)

• Size of their domestic economy (12:02)

• Support of the government (12:06)

• Early adopters of technology (12:23)

- Covid-19 crisis vs. 2008 financial crisis impacts to Chinese Companie (13:47)

• Overseas mergers and acquisitions

• Growth in other emerging markets (16:05)

• Growth in technology and learning (16:44)

Regional Trade Agreements and Initiatives

- Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) (17:40) 

- Belt and Road Initiative (19:27) 

- Other China and emerging market collaborations (20:17) 

 Future of Belt and Road Initiative (22:13) 

Role of Chinese Companies in the Worldwide ESG Revolution

- More countries and citizens are asking companies to be part of the solution

- Corporate social credit ratings (26:29)

- Increased transparency and higher standards (27:21)

Governance Models and ESG standards for Emerging Markets Countries (28:19)

Guest Contact Information

Professor Lourdes Casanova

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @lourdescasanova

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/lourdes-casanova/0/23a/11

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CornellEMI/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emicornell/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjP0mTfBVNB7WSUHXMnsYAw/featured

http://ssrn.com/author=101715

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Casanova

http://www.johnson.cornell.edu/Emerging-Markets-Institute 

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3524-1499

https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/66953

Scopus Author ID: 8247449300

In this episode, Lyndsey talks with Lesley Stephenson, Publisher and Owner of Governance Magazine. They discuss the 21 year journey of this global publication.

Introduction and Overview:

- Worked on publishing the first corporate governance code – Cadbury Report on the Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance (2:15)

- Published Greenbury Report on director remuneration and the Hampel Report which reviewed the original Cadbury Code (2:31)

- Publisher of Financial Times Board Director Programme – provides training, development and networking for board directors in their role as director (3:22)

Governance Magazine:

- Governance magazine has actually been going since November 1997 – 23 years (4:32)

- Covers any issue of relevance to boards and investors (5:04)

- Occasionally looks at important developments outside the corporate sector but mainly corporate (5:42)

- Readership (6:24)

• Chairs/CEOs/CO Secs in large listed companies worldwide
• Institutional investors
• Advisors
• Business schools
• Governance professionals

- Main readership is in the UK (50%) and the USA (10%). The audience is truly global, with subscribers in 40 different countries (6:38)

Corporate Governance Over 20 Years Ago:

- Generally boards more resistant, not so well accepted (8:04)

- Heavy emphasis on running companies for benefit of shareholders – this has broadened out to include all stakeholders (9:26)

- No concept of Board Diversity at all (10:13)

Top Moment:

- Publishing an article by Alexei Navalny (11:21)

Top Challenges:

- Time management between the Financial Times Board Director Programme and Governance Magazine (11:49)

- Small team working behind the scenes on Governance Magazine (12:04)

- Good content has not been a challenge (12:30)

Top Changes in Past 21 Years:

- General acceptance of Governance and business as a force for good (13:41)

- Increase in investor stewardship (14:31)

- Board diversity and inclusion (14:53)

- Drivers of change: (16:43)

• Scandals
• Losing money
• Internet
• Social media

Trend of Corporate Governance Development in the Next 5 to 10 Years:

- ESG is here to stay. Climate change needs to be dealt with (19:05)

- Extension of a wider sense of stakeholder engagement (19:22)

- Culture comes from the top (19:43)

- Changes to digital technology, AI and the way we do things (20:02)

- Boards and directors need to be adaptable and open to change (20:28)

Importance of Ongoing Corporate Governance Training:

- Individual directors have the responsibility to make sure they are up to date and that their skills are appropriate (21:31)

- Other professions expect specific training and CPD (Continuing Professional Development) (23:10)

- Governance Magazine helps board directors by keeping them up to date across a range of topics (23:39)

#19 《巨浪 – 中国公司治理和ESG改革》新书推荐 ｜Lyndsey Zhang 向您推荐她的新书《巨浪》和《公司治理那些事儿》专题讨论平台

从5月3日起，电子版《巨浪》享受新书购买40% 优惠！点击购买《巨浪》: https://www.amazon.com/Surge-Overview-Corporate-Governance-Revolution/dp/1736867407

•《公司治理那些事儿》专题平台讨论介绍（0：36）

• 两个专题节目：（1）全球公司治理专题探讨； （2）ESG改革进行中

• 平台创办的原因

• 平台创建以来的成果

•《巨浪》书名的由来（5：00）

• 我相信中国的持续增长是一个不可阻挡的巨浪

• 中国模式持续向世界推进是一个不可阻挡的巨浪

• 中国对全球经济影响力的增长是不可阻挡的巨浪

•《巨浪》封面设计的含义（9：21）

• 为什么选择龙？大家都知道封面上的龙是代表中国，但更重要的是，龙在中国文化中代表着权利。

• 为什么选择竹林？绿色是环境保护的最好象征，而竹子在我们中国文化里，代表势不可挡的向上的生长能力，竹林在这里暗喻了中国经济今天发展的势头。

• 墨绿色朦胧的背景的含义：中国经济的快速发展，在很多西方国家看来是神秘的，不可捉摸的，看不透的。

• 为什么需要向西方国家推广中国的公司治理模式？（12:45）

• 来自先进市场国家和新兴市场国家的中国公司与组织之间的合作不断发展

• 中国公司的崛起，成为全球行业领袖

• 中国公司治理的创新和挑战

• 西方国家如何看待中国公司治理的创新和风险

• 西方国家投资者对中国公司治理

• 《巨浪》如何帮助我们了解中国的公司治理？（18:00）

• Lyndsey 在中美生活经历和中美跨国公司工作背景

• 中国的经济改革战略 “摸着石头过河”对西方投资者和高管学习中国公司治理的挑战

• 案列分析法讲解中国经济改革，中国文化对公司治理的影响

• 中国国有企业改革和股份改革的过程

• 接下来会怎样（24:00）

• ESG改革对中国的影响

• 读者可以从《巨浪》学到什么

•《巨浪》可以帮中国公司做什么？

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In this episode, Lyndsey Zhang, shares with us her newly released book, The Surge – An Overview of China’s Rapidly Evolving Corporate Governance and Coming ESG Revolution!

Starting May 3rd, 2021, you can receive a 40% discount on the purchase of the Kindle version of the book on Amazon for a limited time.

Episode Highlights (with timestamps)

• Inspiration behind the writing of “The Surge” (2:14)

- Education background and experience working in both US and Chinese companies

•Titling the book "The Surge" (5:10)

•Who will be interested in this book (9:25)

- Global investors who are investing in China companies and interested in learning how to evaluate China companies’ CG risks (11:07)

- Corporate chairpersons, board directors and executives from multinational companies with connections in China (11:30)

- CG, ESG, law, mergers & acquisitions (M&A), management & strategy experts from international consulting firms (12:13)

- Business school professors and Master-level students in business, law, accounting, auditing, corporate secretary or similar programs (12:48)

- And anyone who’s interested in understanding Chinese companies CG models and China’s rapidly evolving ESG movement (13:23)

• Importance of understanding China’s corporate governance (14:00)

- Rapid evolution of Chinese companies 

- Industry leaders (15:26)

- Regulation system (17:12)

- Investing (19:13)

• How “The Surge” helps us understand China’s corporate governance (20:20)

- Unique approach of China’s economic reform

- Using case studies to understand the history and development of China’s corporate governance (22:27)

- Covid-19 crisis’ effect and new ways of thinking (23:06)

• ESG evolution in China (23:59)

- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

- Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

- Corporate Social Credit System (CSCS) (25:42)

• China’s corporate governance development and ESG next steps (27:48)

Order your copy of “The Surge” here: https://www.amazon.com/Surge-Overview-Corporate-Governance-Revolution/dp/1736867407

In this episode, Lyndsey talks with Dr. Kwan Kew Lai, a Harvard Medical faculty physician, with a specialty in infectious diseases. She is a disaster relief medical volunteer who has volunteered her medical services all over the world.

The conversation of this episode focuses on the insights Dr. Lai will give us detailing the impact investment projects in Africa from a doctor’s experience.

Introduction and Overview:

- Dr. Lai’s “why” behind the volunteer work she does and why she chose Africa to concentrate her volunteer efforts (6:12)

- What Dr. Lai first thoughts were when she first visited Africa and saw first hand the hardships that her patients were facing (11:52)

- What encouraged Dr. Lai to risk her own safety to help others (15:39)

- What are the top challenges for volunteer doctors working in these countries: (20:31)

     - Infrastructure (20:48)

     - Lack of healthcare personnel (21:39)

Malawi:

- Dr. Lai’s mission in Malawi. Her experience with being selected for the program (23:09)

- Obstacles for her Malawi mission:

    - Infrastructure concerns (27:25)

     - Privacy concerns (30:13)

- Involvement of NGO’s and the local government (31:46)

     - How the turnover of medical staff affects the program (33:07)

     - Measurements involved in the Malawi program (35:00) 

Future:

- Future of the Malawi region healthcare system (41:19)

     - Lack of commitment by the government to support the program (41:37) 

- What incentives could be offered to reduce the turnover of medical staff (43:59)

- Challenges to overcome to make future programs successful (44:45)

     - Reducing turnover of staff and retaining new talent (44:45)

     - How changes in the year end evaluation could improve the program (45:31)

Guest Contact Information:

Dr. Kwan Kew Lai

New book: "Into Africa Out of Academia: A Doctor's Memoir"

Book debut: "Lest We Forget: A Doctor's Experience with Life and Death During the Ebola Outbreak"

[email protected]

www.kwankewlai.com

In this episode, Lyndsey talks with Professor Andrew Kakabadse, Professor of Governance and Strategic Leadership at Henley Business School in the UK, Emeritus Professor of International Management Development at Cranfield University’s School of Management.

Their conversation of this episode covers various hot topics regarding the Emerging Challenges for Corporate Boards and Board Chairs.

Conversation Highlights (with timestamps)

• Different interest groups represented by board members
  o Board is not a team, and should not work like a team (5:40)
  o Definition of Independence (6:00)
  o Various combination of interests in boardroom and the demand of un-comfortable decision-making capability of boards (7:10)
  o Why really matters? (8:40)
• Mis-alignments in boardroom
  o We need to respect mis-alignments. (9:20)
  o Top mis-alignments
   Competitive advantage and differentiation (10:10)
   The sense of sensitive issues and speaking up (12:20)
  o Board Chair’s role in facilitate board culture (14:00)
• How does the Chairman facilitate in the boardroom?
  o Lack of knowledge vs. lack of culture (15:30)
  o What is governance? (16:00)
  o The balance of Compliance vs. Stewardship (16:40)
  o Time to rethink the function of board (18:30)
• Line between board stewardship and management
  o Sharp lines between Board Chair and CEO (21:00)
  o Case study – best practice of collaboration between Board Chair and CEO (22:30)
  o There’s never a clean line – it’s the collaboration between Chair and CEO (24:00)
• How to recognize early risk sign identification?
  o Good board can sense uncomfortable situation 65 months ahead of time (26:00)
  o History of the origin of Board and Chair (28:00)
  o 30-year performance related Hero CEO period (30:00)
  o Back to the original role of board chair (31:00)
• New challenges for board Chair in the post COVID-19 Era
  o Technology and efficiency challenges (32:30)
  o Culture urgency accelerated by COVID-19 (34:30)
  o Remuneration and nomination issues in Corporate board (36:20)
  o Board chair can facilitate to address corporate culture and motivation to increase organization efficiency (38:00)
• What characteristics made good Board Chair?
  o How Chair and CEO develop themselves? (39:30)
  o One item missing on the risk register (40:30)
  o Core skills for Board Chair - Forensic capacity of scrutiny (41:08)
• Andrew’s most recent book: Leadership Intelligence: 5Qs For Thriving as A Leader
  o 5Qs For Thriving as A Leader (42:00)
  o The most important Q our of 5Qs - IQ in Action (43:10)
  o Important of RQ (Resilience Intelligence) (44:00)
  o Disappointment from the research is MQ (Moral Intelligence) (45:30)
  o IQ, PQ, RQ emerged (46:10)
• Closing remark – The ability to self-assessment of leadership value contribution:
  o Re-evaluation value contribution periodically (48:00)
  o The same value assessment applies to the entire board and management team (48:40)
  o The demand to address value contributions questions due to demand from shareholders and community (50:00)

Guest Contact Information

Professor Andrew Kakabadse

[email protected]

Website : https://www.henley.ac.uk/people/andrew-kakabadse

Publications :

https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/andrew-kakabadse/1315722/

https://www.kakabadse.com/about-us