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BP has changed three CEOs and three chairmen in less than three years. The latest shock came this spring, when the company's board abruptly fired its chairman just weeks after the new CEO took over, citing serious concerns about governance, oversight and conduct. The outgoing chairman denies that explanation, saying he was fired without warning and disputes characterizations of his work style. One activist investor was even more blunt, calling the company's nomination process “dysfunctional.” It's tempting to turn in all of this due to bad employment or bad luck. A more useful lens is one to which the board…

Public company boards are accelerating their focus on AI, and governance expectations are evolving accordingly. According to CAQ research, 90% of S&P 500 companies will mention AI-related information in their 2024 10-K. As adoption of this technology increases, investors and regulators are paying close attention to how oversight is structured, often centered around audit committees. Establishing strong governance is fundamental to implementing AI systems that stakeholders can trust, especially in a rapidly evolving technology environment. The audit committee, as part of the broader organization, plays a key role in this process. Responsibility for risk monitoring. Frameworks such as KPMG AI…

Investor protection is a key focus for audit committees and is reinforced by high-quality audits that support reliable information for decision-making. As the PCAOB develops its strategic priorities for 2026-2030, audit committees will have an opportunity to share their views on how regulators can strengthen the Board's oversight and help promote continued audit quality. The Center for Audit Quality's Audit Committee Council (ACC), an independent advisory group of audit committee members and chairs, submitted a comment letter to the PCAOB outlining three key recommendations for boards to consider when developing priorities. The council highlights the improvements needed. Inspection programs, regulatory…

Historically, the CFO has been primarily a behind-the-scenes role. These days, CFOs have become strategic partners for future-ready CEOs and operational leaders. And now, many finance leaders may be moving toward what Joel Campbell called “CFO plus.” Mr. Campbell is the CFO of TreviPay, a fintech company that provides a B2B payments platform. His more than 25-year career includes finance, chief risk officer roles, and senior finance leadership positions at companies such as Western Union and H&R Block before becoming CFO of TreviPay. In his current role, Joel oversees responsibilities that extend beyond finance to M&A, strategy and human resources.…

Boards may need to be open to pivoting – Corporate Directors Skip to content Allbirds' dramatic transformation into an AI infrastructure company highlights questions that more boards may soon be facing. The question is when should the original business model be completely abandoned to protect shareholder value? Privacy protection. We have enhanced our privacy policy to better protect you. This policy includes the use of cookies to give you the best online experience and provide essential functionality of our services. By clicking “Close” or continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy. Our privacy policy…

The greatest value of AI is that it fosters a culture of performance. If the primary value of innovative technology is efficiency, automation, and knowledge delivery, then the performance of all operational functions must improve accordingly. But the reality is that the huge ROI promised to businesses is not being realized at scale. According to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, $3 trillion to $4 trillion will be spent on AI infrastructure by the end of the decade. When technology hyperscalers deploy that kind of capital, they want CEOs to buy into their technology vision. fast: “If you ignore AI, you risk…

Like the companies they help run, directors at U.S. public companies are fully committed to using generative AI, often without guidelines, policies, or oversight. This is a troubling trend with potentially significant legal and operational implications for businesses. A new survey of 104 U.S. public company directors found that 82% had used generative AI in board work within the past six months, up from 66% in September 2025. However, 54% say their companies do not have guidance in place regarding board use of AI, and only 6% report formal board-specific policies. Meanwhile, approximately 30% of those surveyed have used generative…

The impact of AI-driven stewardship on executive compensation and director elections – Corporate Directors Skip to content As investor stewardship becomes more technology-enabled, successful outcomes will depend on these factors. Artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape how institutional investors approach stewardship, particularly in high-stakes areas such as executive compensation and board elections. As asset managers seek ways to evaluate more voting items faster and more accurately, AI is emerging as a powerful tool for analyzing pay practices, governance structures, and voting patterns at scale. This change has important implications for public company boards, particularly as institutional shareholders increasingly…

4 business days. This is the floor set by regulators and the amount of time public companies must disclose significant cyber incidents under current SEC rules. The question is whether boards are achieving this goal or are they still struggling to achieve it. Boards that haven't predefined what “material” means, haven't assigned who will handle the response, and haven't done a serious tabletop exercise don't have much time. The SEC did not invent board responsibility for cybersecurity. Ignoring it will only lead to higher costs. The EU's DORA (Digital Operations Resilience Act) and CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) add equivalent…

The potential for AI to permeate almost every aspect of business is now widely recognized, and compensation planning is no exception. Boards of companies seeking to integrate AI into their operations, long-term strategies, and products are now facing a new set of questions. Should AI metrics be incorporated into incentive plans, and if so, how? While it is still early days for most boards to navigate the intersection of AI and executive compensation, some are considering incorporating AI-related goals into their compensation programs. “So far, this has primarily been in annual bonus plans rather than as part of long-term incentives,”…