Moody’s Chairman and AccountAbility CEO Advocate for Proactive Board Leadership in CFI’s Summer 2024 Issue

Premier Business Publication Features Insights Co-Written with Columbia Business School Professor Dr. Shiva Rajgopal

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AccountAbility CEO, Mr. Sunil (Sunny) Misser, advocates for proactive, future-focused board leadership in his article Building Better Boards, which appears in the Summer 2024 issue of Capital Finance International, a premier global journal reporting on business, economics, and finance.

Co-authored with Mr. Vincent A. Forlenza, Chairman of Moody’s Corporation and former CEO of Becton, Dickinson and Company, and Dr. Shiva Rajgopal, Professor at Columbia University Business School, the article delves into the critical role of effective board governance in the face of modern challenges, offering innovative frameworks and strategies for leaders focused on long-term value creation.

“Boards must do more than set the ‘tone at the top’; they need to provide robust oversight and strategic support that drives long-term success,” Misser said. “As the mandate of the board shifts, directors must ensure that they demonstrate competencies that fit not just the present but also future needs. The fundamental question at large is: How do we build an effective board that is fit to confront the challenges of the 21st century?”

The article presents six actionable insights designed to empower organizations in assessing and improving their board composition, focus, and impact:

• Understand Industry Dynamics
• Challenge Company Strategy
• Build Geopolitical Resilience
• Think Technology
• Rethink Roles and Composition
• Develop an Authentic Purpose

Each of these insights focuses on value-generating recommendations that deliver on stakeholder expectations and address challenges of the future.

Though board governance is often a less-discussed area of vulnerability for organizations — in part because it involves internal processes, systems, and controls that often are less visible to the broader public — the article highlights the immense potential of rethinking and redesigning effective board governance.

With over 40 years of global executive experience, Vincent A. Forlenza Jr. champions for boards to adopt a more proactive stance in shaping the future and building internal alignment.

“Management and directors globally are under pressure to deliver short-term financial results while also focusing on long-term value creation,” Forlenza said. “As the role of the Board evolves, it's crucial for them to demonstrate competencies that address both current and future needs.

“To enhance strategic decision-making, Boards should engage with management early in the strategic process, before strategies are fully developed, and encourage the presentation of multiple strategic options,” Forlenza continued. “Done correctly, this process aligns the entire company and enables greater efficiency.”

An international expert in corporate finance and governance, Dr. Shiva Rajgopal, the Kester and Byrnes professor at the Columbia Business School, encourages boards to find ways of challenging ideas through open dialogue.

“To effectively advance company strategy, it is essential for boards to foster a culture of constructive challenge,” Rajgopal said. “By institutionalizing healthy debate, companies can better leverage the board's expertise to broaden perspectives, which can lead to more robust decision-making and more sound strategy.”

Capital Finance International’s full Summer 2024 issue is available online.

About AccountAbility

AccountAbility is a specialist global Consulting and Standards firm that works with businesses, investors, governments, and multilateral organizations to innovate and advance the global Sustainability/ ESG agenda by improving the practices, performance, and impact of organizations. The firm focuses on delivering practical, effective, and enduring results that enable our clients to succeed.

AccountAbility is a Public Benefit Corporation, operating globally through a highly qualified team from offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai. The firm is the recipient of multiple business awards from the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International, and its website is archived with the United States Library of Congress.

Media contact

Mr. Julian Cardillo
Marketing and Communications Manager
New York, NY
julian.cardillo@accountability.org

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