Board Governance in the Face of the Unexpected

November 19, 2025 | Virtual

With ongoing pressure on earnings and revenue growth—and internal urgency to deliver results on time—boards were challenged to oversee the timely execution of both transactional and strategic objectives, all while maintaining a careful and balanced approach to risk management. In this environment, particularly following the pandemic, many boards had become accustomed to receiving more frequent updates between official meetings through written communications and informal calls with management. However, participants learned that even with rigorous risk management programs in place, significant surprises and emergencies still occurred—both within companies and in the broader environment. It was reinforced that while risk is inherent to business, boards aimed to minimize being caught off guard by unexpected events such as product quality failures affecting major business lines or disruptive competitors reshaping market dynamics.

Attendees also examined how many companies had implemented enterprise risk management (ERM) programs and conducted in-depth annual risk reviews with both the audit committee and the full board. Yet, the key takeaway was the importance of going beyond formal processes. Boards were encouraged to consider how they could better anticipate the unexpected and improve their ability to respond swiftly and effectively when emergencies or sudden challenges arose.

This virtual event was held on Nov. 19, 2025 in partnership with the NACD New England Chapter.