HEC Paris

Board director readiness program

HEC Paris

Management & Strategy

About Programme

Board governance has never been more demanding. The board's role has expanded beyond oversight of management. Directors are expected to challenge and contribute to strategy, navigate emerging risks, and be accountable to a wider range of stakeholders. This 6-day program equips aspiring directors with the knowledge and skills to enter the boardroom ready to contribute from day one. Through board simulations, real-world cases, exchanges with high-profile guest speakers, and a curated peer group of future directors, participants build expertise across directors' duties and board dynamics, strategic oversight, risk governance, and financial acumen, and emerging strategic and geopolitical challenges facing boards, combining academic rigor and practitioner insight.

Programme Content

Focus 1: Key principles of corporate governance
Key principles of governance across publicly traded, family, and non-profit organizations.
Focus 2: The Board's Mandate and Structure
Composition, accountability, and the director's mindset.
Focus 3: CEO Succession, Compensation, and Shareholder Expectation
How boards navigate critical decisions and competing stakeholder pressures.
Focus 4 : Financial Oversight and the Audit Function
Overseeing financial reporting and audit processes.
Focus 5: Boardroom Dynamics
Interpersonal dynamics, decision-making biases, and board effectiveness
Focus 6 : The First Board Mandate
The market for directorships and strategies to get appointed.
Focus 7 : Contemporary Challenges for Boards
Artificial intelligence, technological disruption, geopolitical shifts, global uncertainty, and their implications for governance, risk oversight, and strategic decision-making.

Programme Objective

Master the director's role, responsibilities, and accountability, and adopt the mindset needed for effective governance
Navigate boardroom dynamics and the CEO-board relationship
Assess how boards manage CEO succession, compensation, and shareholder expectations
Apply governance frameworks across publicly traded, family, and non-profit organizations
Interpret financial information relevant to board decision-making
Identify the skills and strategies to secure a board mandate
Evaluate the implications of artificial intelligence, technological disruption, and geopolitical developments for board oversight and strategic decision-making.

Pedagogy

Pédagogy: The program combines expert-led sessions, real-world case discussions, immersive board simulations, and exchanges with seasoned board directors. Participants are expected to prepare case materials in advance of select sessions. No prior governance experience is required.

Programme Audience

This program is designed for high-potential professionals, managers, and executives preparing for their first board mandate, as well as C-suite executives seeking a deeper understanding of board responsibilities. Participants come from private, public, and non-profit organizations.

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Speak with an Advisor

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Prashansa Uttam

Programme Advisor

+91 9403890085[email protected]Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm IST

HEC Paris

Executive Education Office

Valeria
+33 (0) 1 39 67 74 53
https://www.hec.edu
Jouy-en-Josas, France

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Board director readiness program | HEC Paris