Boardroom Confidential

Sherpany
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Boardroom Confidential reveals what really happens when the boardroom doors close and the stakes are high. Join journalist and board member Emily Sheffield as she takes a senior business figure through three big agenda items: the boardroom pressure that tests every leader, the lessons learned around the table, and the dynamics that can make or break organisations. Discover the stories leaders usually only share with their peers. Brought to you by Sherpany, the meeting management solution for board and executive teams.

  1. 1 day ago

    Boardroom culture, groupthink, and governance reality, with Roger Barker, The Center for Governance

    "There is a big difference between having the right kind of governance structures and processes in place, and actually governance working effectively in reality." This week's guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast, powered by Sherpany, is Roger Barker, Chief Research and Thought Leadership Officer at the Center for Governance in Riyadh.  Roger shares the boardroom stories and insights that have shaped his career, including why he believes boards under pressure so often feel compelled to be seen "doing something”. Roger also discusses the practical mechanics of tackling groupthink, and makes the case for why the CEO should sit on the board despite the tension that can create. Drawing on his move from the UK's Institute of Directors to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund-backed Centre for Governance, he reflects on how hierarchical cultures differ from egalitarian ones, and why boards across the Middle East have had to rapidly sharpen their scenario planning in the wake of the war in Iran. Roger spent almost two decades at the UK's Institute of Directors, most recently as Director of Policy and Corporate Governance, where he led on board evaluations. In 2025 he relocated to Riyadh. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings. Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn. Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en. This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.  Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit Sherpany’s website for more board resources, including our blog, offering insights and practical guidance for effective formal meetings: https://sherpany.com/en/resources This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction  (01:15) Pressure And Knee Jerk Decisions (04:59) Should CEOs Sit On Boards? (11:32) What Board Evaluations Reveal (16:44) International Culture And Governance

    Boardroom culture, groupthink, and governance reality, with Roger Barker, The Center for Governance

  2. 15 Oct

    Crises, geopolitical shocks and boardroom trust, with Allard Castelein

    "The new normal, means prepare for the disruptions. I don’t think boards have grasped that." This week's guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast, powered by Sherpany, is Allard Castelein, a non-executive director at multiple organisations including SBM Offshore and Associated British Ports. Between 2014 and 2023, he was CEO of Europe’s biggest port, Port of Rotterdam. Allard shares the boardroom stories that have shaped his career, including the moment he had to convince a deeply uncomfortable supervisory board to keep investing through COVID rather than retreat, and how a foundation of trust, built over years, ultimately won them round.  He also takes us inside the crisis team he stood up within 24 hours of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when the Port of Rotterdam had to comply with sanctions on Russian oil, and explains why he deliberately paired formal meetings with frequent, informal contact with his Chair during this time.. Allard reflects candidly on the shift from CEO to non-executive director, and what it taught him about respecting the line between governing and running a company.  He also makes the case that disruption, from Ukraine to the Strait of Hormuz, is now the permanent operating environment for boards, and argues that many boards haven’t yet fully grasped that concept. Allard spent more than a decade as CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, steering the organisation through COVID, the war in Ukraine, and the 2021 blockage of the Suez Canal.  Between 1987 and 2013 he held various roles at Shell, and he now also serves as special representative on critical raw materials for the Dutch government. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.  Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn.  Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en.  This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction (01:20) What Creates Board Pressure (05:18) Scenario Thinking Toolkit (09:02) Crisis Comms With Board (15:11) Preparing For Constant Disruption (21:16) When To Quit A Board

    Crises, geopolitical shocks and boardroom trust, with Allard Castelein

  3. 24 Sept

    Neurodiversity, AI risk and speaking up in the boardroom, with Professor Charlotte Valeur, FTSE Chair and NED

    "All boardrooms have people of different neurotypes. We are everywhere, and once we can properly acknowledge that, we can consider the broader human variety that human beings beautifully are." This week's guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast, powered by Sherpany, is Professor Charlotte Valeur, founder of the Institute of Neurodiversity and former chair of the Institute of Directors.  Charlotte shares the boardroom stories that have shaped her career, including becoming the first high-profile UK businessperson to publicly disclose an autism diagnosis, her refusal to play by unwritten boardroom social rules, and why she believes disagreement, not consensus, is where boards actually learn. She also discusses why, in a world with AI, neurodivergent thinking may become a board's most valuable asset. And sets out the risks raised by the recent US restrictions on foreign access to some AI models. Charlotte began her career as an investment banker in Copenhagen and London before becoming a non-executive director and chair across a range of boards. She is the author of "Effective Directors: The Right Questions to Ask", a corporate governance consultant, and visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.  Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn.  Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en.  This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction (01:25) Disclosing Diagnosis (07:04) Neurodiversity in AI Era (10:15) Transparency and Leadership (15:01) Better Board Meetings (23:54) When to Walk Away

    Neurodiversity, AI risk and speaking up in the boardroom, with Professor Charlotte Valeur, FTSE Chair and NED

  4. 3 Sept

    Thinking ahead, market collapse and boardroom blind spots, with Orna NiChionna

    “You are not on a board to make friends. Friendship causes groupthink, and your job is to resist it at every turn." This week's guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast, powered by Sherpany, is Orna NiChionna, Senior Independent Director at Burberry and the management consultancy Eden McCallum, and Chair of the Eden Project.  Orna shares the boardroom story that defined her understanding of crisis governance: her time on the board of HMV. As streaming and the Kindle hit the company's music and book businesses simultaneously, she takes us inside the boardroom as lawyers and bankers crowded in to assess whether the business could continue to trade. Orna makes a compelling case for why the best board members are playing chess, not draughts - thinking several moves ahead between meetings, not just turning up, reading the materials, and going home.  And she shares the story about an external board reviewer who spotted a groupthink pattern nobody inside the room had noticed. Orna previously served as Senior Independent Director at Saga and Bupa, non-executive director at Bank of Ireland UK Holdings, and spent nine years on the board of Royal Mail. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.  Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn.  Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en.  This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction (02:10) Crisis on the high street (09:50) When The CEO Fails (11:16) Chess not draughts (15:02) External Reviews

    Thinking ahead, market collapse and boardroom blind spots, with Orna NiChionna

  5. 23 Jul

    Three major storms, preparation, and boardroom decisions, with Mike Soutar, Entrepreneur

    "I'm never on a board that says maybe. It's either yes or it's no. Yes is a much easier word to say. No is harder, but no is often the most important." This week's guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast is Mike Soutar, entrepreneur, media executive, and star of the UK version of The Apprentice. He shares the boardroom stories that have shaped his career, including facing the board when the launch of a new business didn’t go to plan, how proper preparation helps him make better decisions, and how to effectively overcome groupthink. Mike argues that three major storms - AI, generational change in the workforce, and geopolitical instability - are hitting companies simultaneously, and that requires an evolution in how businesses are led. Mike co-founded Shortlist Media, and previously held senior leadership roles at iconic media brands including FHM, Smash Hits, and Kiss FM. He currently serves on the UK government's Board of Trade and as a non-executive director at Scottish Rugby and the V&A Dundee.  His new book, “Next Gen CEO: 60 Lessons for Leaders in an Uncertain World”, is out now. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.  Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn.  Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en.  This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction (06:52) Speaking Up and Prep (11:51) Shortlist Media Crisis (14:37) Leadership Is Changing (23:18) Strategy vs Tactics (26:25) First Board Meeting Advice

    Three major storms, preparation, and boardroom decisions, with Mike Soutar, Entrepreneur

  6. 9 Jul

    Boardroom persuasion, climate risk and being the outlier, with Julie Baddeley, Chair, Chapter Zero Alliance | Boardroom Confidential

    “If you're an outlier, it's not a very comfortable place to be.” This week's guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast, powered by Sherpany, is Julie Baddeley, Chair of the Chapter Zero Alliance. Julie has sat on boards in executive and non-executive roles for 25 years across consumer, retail, financial services, and professional services.  She shares the boardroom stories that have shaped her career, including what it was really like to be inside the boardroom of a mortgage lender as the 2008 financial crisis unfolded. How she watched complex financial instruments get waved through by people who'd been in banking for decades, and decided to push back. She also shares the lesson she learned the hard way at a major food chain, where she pushed too early for vegetarian and healthy options, and why framing climate as business strategy, not activism, is what makes the difference. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.  Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn.  Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en.  This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction (04:24) Challenging Groupthink (09:07) Reframing Climate as Strategy (13:05) When Dynamics Break Down (18:56) Taking a Company Private

    Boardroom persuasion, climate risk and being the outlier, with Julie Baddeley, Chair, Chapter Zero Alliance | Boardroom Confidential

  7. 25 Jun

    Cyberattacks, AI and boardroom resignations, with Devyani Vaishampayan, RemCo Chair and AI Expert | Boardroom Confidential

    "Everyone talks about AI today. But I'm not really sure how many people still understand it." This week's guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast, powered by Sherpany, is Devyani Vaishampayan, an independent non-executive director at Forvis Mazars, and RemCo Chair at a number of organisations, including NHS Supply Chain. Devyani is also an expert in AI, and cuts through the noise to ask the question many boards are still struggling with: what's hype, and what's a real business opportunity?  She shares the boardroom stories that have shaped her career, including the moment she joined an AIM-listed company as RemCo Chair, only to find herself, in her very first meeting, navigating a CEO resignation. She also takes us inside the NHS Supply Chain boardroom during a cyberattack, and explains what made the board's response effective.  Devyani previously spent more than 30 years as an HR director at companies including Rolls Royce, Citibank, and AT&T. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.  Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn.  Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en.  This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction  (01:30) Cyberattack Crisis (05:14) AI Pressure on Boards (14:08) Chair CEO Dynamics (19:11) Be Brave Speak Up

    Cyberattacks, AI and boardroom resignations, with Devyani Vaishampayan, RemCo Chair and AI Expert | Boardroom Confidential

  8. 11 Jun

    Brave questions, diversity, and boardroom pressure, with Terri Duhon, NED and Risk Chair

    "The most powerful tool I have at my disposal as chair of the risk committee is other people in the room." This week's guest on the Boardroom Confidential podcast, powered by Sherpany, is Terri Duhon, non-executive director and risk chair at Rathbones and the money transfer company Wise.  Terri shares the boardroom stories and insights that have shaped her career, including confidently walking into her first Morgan Stanley board meeting and realising within minutes that she was joining a conversation with years of history, a language full of acronyms, and a scope far broader than anything she'd mastered before.  She reveals where she believes boardroom pressure really sits, why the most powerful tool she has as risk committee chair is the other people in the room, and her pre-meeting technique that ensures different voices are heard in the boardroom. Terri began her career as a derivatives trader before becoming an entrepreneur, author, and board director. She served on the board of Morgan Stanley International for many years, is an ambassador for Women on Boards, and is a guest lecturer at the London School of Economics and Oxford University. Boardroom Confidential is brought to you by Sherpany, a leading meeting management solution, designed to meet the unique needs of the board, board committee, and executive meetings.  Connect with Sherpany on LinkedIn.  Want to know more about us? Visit our website here: sherpany.com/en.  This is an 18Sixty production for Sherpany. CHAPTERS: (00:00) Introduction (06:25) Acronyms and Asking Questions (12:30) What Makes A Great Chair (14:36) Dynamics, Diversity and Imposter Syndrome (17:09) Be Brave In Your First Meeting

    Brave questions, diversity, and boardroom pressure, with Terri Duhon, NED and Risk Chair
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Boardroom Confidential reveals what really happens when the boardroom doors close and the stakes are high. Join journalist and board member Emily Sheffield as she takes a senior business figure through three big agenda items: the boardroom pressure that tests every leader, the lessons learned around the table, and the dynamics that can make or break organisations. Discover the stories leaders usually only share with their peers. Brought to you by Sherpany, the meeting management solution for board and executive teams.

Information

  • Creator
    Sherpany
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Sherpany
  • Show Website
    Boardroom Confidential