Andy Davies writes that by non-executive directors focusing on decision-making, they can have a profound influence on business outcomes.

By Andy Davies, a senior Partner at Kingsley Gate Partners.

Discover how our alumni have progressed their board careers by graduating from the FT Non-Executive Director Diploma.

There is often bias towards candidates with established records, but companies should not be afraid to take a chance on youth

Conservative groups and lawmakers eye restrictions on proxy firms as new era in Washington emboldens their critics

The role allows women to sharpen their leadership skills amid a lack of senior management opportunities

Optimistic thinking on AI, Silicon Valley Bank in China, and considering your goals in reverse

As companies from Amazon to Citi overhaul management, experts warn of consequences beyond job cuts

The president-elect has fundamentally shifted the norms and ideology of American politics

Directors retaining seats without backing from majority of shareholders prompts concern

Studying the way we stumble into cognitive traps could be key to understanding how to beat misinformation

The chancellor should begin moving the country to a more dynamic fiscal framework

Billions of dollars are being lost each year and critical infrastructure is coming under threat

Succession planning at JPMorgan Chase offers lessons for executives hoping to land the top job

Corporate leaders realise they can’t ignore the social and political context in which they operate

Adoption of a new reporting baseline will benefit boards and investors alike

Government to make all large companies disclose remuneration data

Empty, deceptive jargon is so pervasive we no longer notice it

The businessman and academic on the path to a zero carbon economy

Delaware judge is considering whether a shareholder vote should override her decision invalidating record award

Next spring’s expected UK pensions bill would be a good opportunity to boost auto-enrolment contributions

From ending zero-hour contracts to boosting benefits, Britain’s new government wants to shift power back to staff

New research bares the risks of an individual taking on more than one top executive role

Only two climate-related proposals received majority support this year, and no diversity initiative cleared 50%

A win for venture capital firms and sovereign wealth funds as they will be allowed to hold ‘supervoting’ shares

There should be assurances that large infrastructure projects won’t be summarily cancelled

From learning about AI and virtual reality to developing soft skills, companies are trying to keep pace with rapid change

The UK needs more sceptical auditors and a tougher regulator

The rise of the permanent out-of-office is a sign of the dire state of work email

Internal probes in the spotlight following high-profile cases as legal regulator prepares new guidance

The affair highlights the responsibilities of in-house lawyers when warned of improper practices in their organisation

Boards are being forced to think about finding future leaders earlier as shareholders demand greater insight

Diligent advisers and engaged investors are vital for a well-functioning shareholder democracy

Bluebell Capital Partners seeks more oversight of the money manager’s approach to sustainable investing

Richard Moriarty criticises ‘serious gaps’ in regulatory toolkit of Financial Reporting Council

Chief financial officers have been taking more responsibilities in everything from corporate strategy to sustainability

Growing wealth inequality between thirtysomethings could soon displace tensions between young and old

More employers are realising that falling behind can hamper their ability to attract and retain the best leaders

Female workers are deemed more likely to rise to the top when the job is risky and less appealing to men

Corporate scandals like that at the Post Office cause public storms but rarely is action taken against those in charge

During a brief, chaotic stint as UK prime minister, her incompetence undermined the case for economic radicalism

Proposed reforms to the UK listings regime may backfire

Kemi Badenoch said Henry Staunton was unable to deliver the scale of change needed in the aftermath of the Horizon scandal

US state’s chancery court plays a key role in balancing interests of boards and investors

Bosses who insist on a return to the office are demonised — but turning up is better for your career

Auditors and regulators consider ways to strengthen oversight and hold management to account

Wrongful convictions of victims of the Post Office scandal must be overturned

Bosses of publicly listed companies must keep a dizzying number of plates spinning

Winning back investor and consumer confidence is proving difficult for Calhoun and the top team

As opinions shift, asset managers like BlackRock are talking more about maximising returns than about saving the world

Why companies are tapping the boardroom for their next CEO

Lobbyists want to scrap the 20% threshold signifying meaningful investor dissent at AGMs

As world leaders meet in Dubai for the COP28 climate summit, success will depend on whether there is an agreement to dump fossil fuels. Plus: China under pressure; African nations unite; EU rewilding plans; cleantech advances; rising sea levels

What can Morgan Stanley’s Ted Pick do after James Gorman?

AI companies are growing ever more secretive as their power and profiles blossom

Companies have been criticised for ‘picking a side’ but also condemned for staying silent

Ethnic minority candidates accounted for 15% of non-executive appointments, the lowest proportion since 2020

Embarrassing revelations about senior leaders can damage trust and cause significant upheaval

Hybrid working has exposed wasteful, outdated designs that one Silicon Valley boss wants to blow up

As tech titans and lawmakers argue, the Hollywood writers’ strike has shown how employees can set the rules

There is growing concern that AI may be weaponised by hackers to enable cyber attacks. Plus: why airlines care about connections; how to spot a deepfake; global shortage of cyber security staff; and five easy security wins

Overhaul of accounting regulation and corporate governance is facing fresh delay

More businesses are offering apprenticeships to diversify the pool of future directors

Majority of S&P 500 companies use environmental, social or governance criteria to guide pay

Company secretaries’ survey suggests requirement for extra information is taking up ‘disproportionate time’

The Farage row suggests political intervention will continue until banking governance becomes more muscular

Longstanding problems of low investment and skills gaps exacerbated by overconfidence and lack of management time

From return to office demands to productivity levels, a lot of what we think we know about remote work is wrong

Risk of ‘overboarding’ leads to concern from fund managers

It is still too hard to hold ‘name-on-the-door’ bosses properly to account

Business lobby group fails to secure Sunak pledge for immediate re-engagement

The listed groups are less geared and have made a better start at tackling problems with ailing infrastructure

Tight labour markets and outright home ownership delay the return to price stability

Support for the plan is vital if we are to fix our culture and deliver for the business community

Policymakers must not let complexity stop them from doing their job

The romanticism of work on the move has collided with the realities of tax and immigration

The UK’s trademark self regulatory approach to governance has been aped around the world

CEOs’ responses to any epidemic of loneliness must focus first on their own people

Whether on the world stage or at home, it’s complicated. Here’s how to do it

It might be the most transformative technology of all for human beings’ sense of themselves

The hope is former leaders can bring stability, yet data suggests companies that bring them back underperform

If CEOs didn’t define themselves so completely by their work, retirement would be less frightening

A shock like this should make mindless deregulation less appealing to politicians and mindless risk-taking less appealing to bankers

Tweaking the rules for each big listing that comes along would be pathetic

ISS has moved against companies with unequal voting rights, opening a new front in the conflict over shareholder powers

Research on CEO hiring highlights the advantages of running an unlisted firm

Quoted Companies Alliance says disclosure requirements are drain on resources of smaller companies

Appointing more female chief executives and chairs is a challenge that will take longer

Tension between FTSE boards and their investors seems more symptom than cause of the London market’s woes

Decision allowing lawsuits against company’s officers for ‘oversight’ failures could open new front in litigation

CS Venkatakrishnan gives his personal account of leading the bank while undergoing care for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

For the first time ever, women are leading the three titans of financial journalism

Investment platform records a 30 per cent increase in votes on company matters

Soaring executive pay is prompting resistance from those who believe business should play a role in shaping a fairer, more equitable society

Forecasts for the year are bleak but the narratives we’re presented with have flaws

There is often bias towards candidates with established records, but companies should not be afraid to take a chance on youth