Navigating the Storm: Crisis Oversight for Board Directors & Executives

In Person  |  April 24, 2025  |  3:00 PM - 4:30 PM CDT  |  Austin, TX

Our panel discussion, titled “Navigating the Storm: Crisis Oversight for Board Directors and Executives,” focused on the board’s role before, during, and after high-impact events such as executive misconduct, geopolitical conflict, natural disasters, cyberattacks, and reputational damage. Emphasis was placed on proactive risk analysis, the use of tabletop exercises, insurance preparedness, and the importance of muscle memory and clear guiding principles. Panelists explored the balance between board oversight and management execution, offering real-world scenarios, lessons learned, and actionable frameworks for boardroom preparedness.

Key Topics Covered

• The board’s role in crisis oversight vs. management’s operational responsibilities
• Crisis preparedness: risk analysis, scenario planning, and tabletop exercises
• Low-probability, high-impact risk scenarios (e.g., terrorism, natural disasters, cyberattacks)
• Insurance and risk transfer: D&O, cyber, and supply chain coverage gaps
• Crisis communication best practices and the role of board members
• When boards should intervene (e.g., reputational, financial, or operational risk)
• Importance of muscle memory and actionable playbooks
• External response teams: legal counsel, crisis communications, evacuation, and cyber negotiators
• Post-crisis recovery: reputation management, operational continuity, and structural changes
• Need for ongoing board education on cyber, geopolitics, and geoeconomics

Key Takeaways

• Proactive Planning Is Non-Negotiable: Boards must ensure risk analysis, tabletop exercises, and response protocols are in place before a crisis occurs.
• Avoid Off-the-Shelf Risk Frameworks: Every organization has unique vulnerabilities; custom risk assessments are essential.
• Use Tabletop Exercises to Build Muscle Memory: Short, clear, actionable playbooks (not 300-page binders) are crucial for real-time execution.
• Know When to Step In: Boards should intervene when reputational, financial, or operational risk is imminent and management is not responding effectively.
• Don't Speak to the Media: Board members should redirect external inquiries to the CEO to avoid legal and reputational missteps.
• Review Insurance Gaps Regularly: Understand what your policies cover and more importantly, what they don’t. Fill gaps through specialized providers.
• Crisis Response Is a Team Sport: Align internal teams with trusted external partners (legal, security, comms, cyber) before a crisis occurs.
• Crisis Recovery Requires Values-Driven Leadership: Guiding principles like transparency, accountability, and doing the right thing must shape your response.
• Shift from 80/20 to 50/50 Thinking: Boards must focus equally on prevention and execution to remain resilient in today’s unpredictable world.
• Board Education Must Evolve: Geopolitical, cyber, and economic threats require consistent education and subject-matter expert briefings.

Program Videos

View the complete program playlist, including the following video clips:

• Boardroom Crisis Playbook: Real Scenarios & Strategies Directors Need Now
• When Should a Board Step In During a Crisis? Experts Share Real-World Lessons
• Insurance Gaps That Could Cost Your Board in a Crisis: What Directors Must Know
• Why Tabletop Exercises Are Critical for Crisis Readiness: Insights for Boards
• After the Storm: How Boards Lead Recovery and Rebuild Trust After Crisis
• Why Crisis Planning Fails: What Boards and CEOs Miss About Preparedness and External Support

Program Resources

NACD

• Thinking about the Unthinkable—Crisis Scenario Planning and the Board
• Three Areas of Focus to Prepare for the Next Crisis

FGS Global

• Managing crises, investigations & whistleblowers: Securities Enforcement Forum Masterclass takeaways
• Seeing Isn't Believing: How Deepfakes Are Rewiring Organizational Risk

Global Guardian

• Mapping the threat landscape: CEOs and their companies face a surge in physical and digital threats
• Worldwide Threat Assessment - March 2025

Lockton

• Avoiding coverage gaps in financial institutions’ insurance policies
• Ensuring your organization stays resilient amid growing crisis events

Panelists

Vice President—Global Political Violence, War & Terrorism, Lockton

Will Ambidge

Will Ambidge is a broker within the crisis management team at Lockton, more specifically the war terrorism and political violence team. He is responsible for the placement and servicing of political violence and terrorism accounts within the Lloyd’s, London, and European markets…

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CEO & President, Global Guardian

Dale Buckner

Dale Buckner is the CEO and President of Global Guardian, LLC. He has been leading Global Guardian since its inception in March 2012 and is directly responsible for the day-to-day operations and its growth…

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Partner, FGS Global; Director, Stellar Bancorp, NACD Texas TriCities Chapter

Frances Jeter, NACD.DC

Ms. Jeter has been a Director of Stellar Bancorp, Inc. since Oct. 2022 and prior to that a member of the Board of Directors of Allegiance Bancshares since 2014…

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Board Member, Heathcare Realty, Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Chris Vasquez

Chris Vasquez brings her finance acumen and insights from over 30 years in executive health-care leadership, especially to her work with Healthcare Realty’s board strategic planning and corporate governance…

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