Claim OwnershipThe Corporate Director Podcast
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On The Corporate Director Podcast, we discuss the experiences and ideas behind what's working in corporate board governance in out digital-tech-fuled world. You'll hear interviews with corporate leaders who have compelling stories to share, governance researchers with new insights, and conversations with "governance geeks" who are passionate about finding the best ideas out there to help board directors do their work better. Episodes will feature topics such as: corporate governance, strategy, board culture, risk management, ESG, secure communication, digital transformation through boardroom technology, board meeting management, director recruiting and succession planning, board refreshment, boardroom meeting minutes and other good governance best practices.
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In this episode of The Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger sits down with board member, CEO and strategist Josh Klein to unpack what evolutions in AI technology will mean for entire countries, companies and corporate boards. He shares lessons from advising governments like Iceland and Zanzibar on national AI strategies, and explains why AI is both critical infrastructure and powerful “soft power” shaping how citizens think and behave.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger sits down with Earl Newsome, Chief Information Officer at Cummins Inc. and board member at First Independence Bank, to explore how directors can bring a technologist mindset into the boardroom without being “siloed” as the tech person. Together, they dig into what boards often misunderstand about technology, how AI and digital disruption are reshaping strategy and risk oversight, and what it will take for directors to stay literate in an era of 90‑day technology decision cycles.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Diligent Institute’s Kira Ciccarelli sits down with Melanie Nolen, Head of Research at Chief Executive Group, to unpack the latest findings from the long running What Directors Think survey of U.S. public company directors. Since 2002, this benchmark study has tracked how board priorities, risks and composition are evolving and the 2026 edition shows a striking shift toward growth through M&A, enterprise‑wide AI deployment and a new urgency around board effectiveness and meeting design.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger welcomes returning guest Anddria Varnado, board member at Pattern Beauty, Red Robin and Columbia Bank, to explore how the director’s role has evolved from guarding stability to governing continuous transformation. Together they unpack how boards can sharpen their oversight of AI, M&A-driven growth, and capital allocation, redesign agendas to prioritize strategic discussion, and embed learning, curiosity and real-time data into governance. Anddria shares practical steps for building more dynamic, stakeholder-aware boards—and explains why governance quality itself is becoming a key source of competitive advantage heading into 2026.
In this special year- end edition of the Corporate Director Podcast, Dottie Schindlinger and Meghan Day sit down with TK Kerstetter to grade their 2025 governance predictions. Headlines included OpenAI’s nonprofit-to-for-profit pivot (likely paving the way to an IPO), boards elevating AI oversight to a priority, and Elon Musk–related governance flashpoints spanning compensation, jurisdiction, and multi-company leadership pressures. For 2026, our hosts expect rising complexity in the director role as AI, cyber, policy shifts, supply chains, and macro risks stack up, demanding sharper risk planning and adaptability.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger talks with workplace culture expert Bree Groff, author of Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously). Bree makes the case that valuing “human days” is a strategic lever for performance, retention, and risk oversight, and why directors should care. She shares early warning signs like the disappearance of “orange flags”—and practical first moves for boards and CEOs: acknowledge the problem openly, use human language, and target daily “reverse pet peeves” to lift culture.
On this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger sits down with Maria Garcia‑Nielsen, an independent director at Mibanco, Lantana Group, and Base Protection Group and founder of Wharton Alumni for Boards, to unpack how sector fundamentals should anchor board conversations across regions. From the rising prominence of geopolitics on agendas to regional nuances in regional nuances in board priorities and conversation, Maria shares pragmatic ways boards can turn insight into action, including scenario planning and local context considerations.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, host Dottie Schindlinger talks with Tracey-Lee Brown, director at PwC’s Governance Insights Center, about the latest update to PwC’s ESG Corporate Directors Guide and how boards should navigate today’s politicized sustainability landscape. They explore shifting from a rear‑view, compliance-only mindset to a forward‑looking strategy: identifying material topics, tying them to purpose and long‑term value, and embedding them into ERM and capital allocation.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Catie Hall and Ariel Smilowitz from PwC’s Governance Insights Center unpack findings from PwC’s Annual Corporate Directors Survey and translate them into practical actions for boards. They explore growing pressure for board refreshment, the need for personal accountability and continuous learning, and why many assessments still don’t drive meaningful change. The conversation closes with a pragmatic roadmap for directors and board leaders, plus how generative AI is beginning to support board work.
In this episode of The Corporate Director Podcast, Rich Mullen, Partner in Wilson Sonsini’s M&A Practice, and Ranga Bodla, Vice President, Field Engagement and Marketing at NetSuite, Meghan Day to unpack a new joint report exploring transaction readiness in today’s unpredictable market. The conversation dives into governance gaps, board alignment, tech adoption, and the evolving role of boards in M&A activity. Discover why companies are rethinking transactions, how economic uncertainty and limited resources reshape dealmaking, and what opportunities AI offers for future transactions. Whether you’re navigating an acquisition or seeking best practices in board engagement and tech enablement, this episode delivers fresh insights from industry leaders and real survey data.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast Catie Hall, Director at PwC’s Governance Insights Center, unpacks how boards can stay ahead in a fast-changing cyber landscape. She spotlights the need for ongoing director education to tackle threats like AI and global instability, urges hands-on prep with tabletop exercises, and advocates building stronger board-CISO ties through frequent, candid conversations. Catie makes it clear: directors must engage across the organization and ask tough questions to drive real cyber resilience.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Neta Meidav, Co-Founder and CEO of the Vault Platform and Lloydette Bai-Marrow, Director at Fraud Sentinel discuss the "failure to prevent fraud" offense under the UK Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, which came into effect on September 1st. This new regulation significantly impacts large companies, both within and outside the UK, by transferring corporate criminal liability if they fail to implement reasonable fraud prevention measures. Netta and Lloydette share insights on how internal compliance teams can prepare for this change. They emphasize the importance of effective whistleblowing mechanisms, robust internal controls, and a culture of accountability within organizations.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Cindy Moehring, an experienced independent director and former Chief Compliance Officer, discusses the evolving role of compliance officers in today's complex regulatory environment. Cindy shares her insights on the biggest challenges facing compliance teams, particularly in global organizations, and highlights the importance of technology in enhancing compliance programs. Cindy's insights are timely, coming on the heels of Diligent being named a Leader in the 2025 IDC MarketScape for Worldwide GRC Software, a recognition that underscores the growing importance of advanced GRC technology in compliance programs.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Claudia Allen, Senior Advisor at KPMG’s Board Leadership Center, shares insights from KPMG’s Board Leadership Center recent survey of private company boards. The discussion covers challenges in strategic planning, the importance of scenario planning, and navigating the impact of AI on private companies.
This episode of the Corporate Director Podcast features Beena Ammanath, Global Head of Deloitte's AI Institute. Beena discusses her career background in AI and her perspectives on responsible AI adoption. She shares her insights on the importance of AI literacy, decision-making frameworks, and the need for leaders to proactively address workforce disruptions caused by AI integration. She emphasizes the responsibility of leaders to define new job roles and provide continuous learning opportunities to nurture emerging talent in an AI-driven world.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Nick Shevelyov discusses the rapidly changing cybersecurity landscape driven by generative AI, highlighting its dual role in empowering both threat actors and defenders. The conversation covers emerging threats such as sophisticated spear phishing attacks and deep fakes. Nick also discusses effective cyber defense strategies, emphasizing the need to balance investment in AI-native technologies with good cyber hygiene practices.
This episode of the Corporate Director Podcast features Alan Murray discussing the Wall Street Journal's recent release of the Top 250 Board Directors List. Murray digs into how the list was created, what criteria really make a great board director, and how the qualities of a good leader have changed over time. Correction: The 250 Best Managed Companies list, which is published in the Wall Street Journal and referred to in this podcast, was created by the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University. In the podcast, Alan Murray mistakenly said it was created by Bendable Labs.
In this episode, hosts Dottie Schindlinger and Meghan Day delve into the creation and legacy of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) with insights from notable guests. Mike Levy discusses the implications of a congressional bill which proposed to eliminate the PCAOB and transfer its responsibilities to the SEC. Sherron Watkins and Cynthia Cooper, known for exposing the Enron and WorldCom frauds respectively, share their perspectives on the importance of maintaining strong audit oversight and the potential consequences of dismantling the PCAOB and similar audit oversight bodies.
In this episode of the Corporate Director podcast, Dottie Schindlinger is joined by Arielle Berlin, who discusses findings from PwC's annual C-suite survey on board effectiveness. In this episode, Arielle dives into how C-suite members rate the board, the issues they want the board to discuss more, areas of expertise they want the board to have, and more.
In this episode of the Corporate Director Podcast, Dottie Schindlinger is joined by Alicia Syrett, the founder of Madam Chair, a network of over 300 female chairs and lead directors of publicly traded companies. Alicia shares her personal journey from finance to her current role as a board chair and the inspiration behind creating Madam Chair. This episode highlights the importance of peer support and the evolving landscape of corporate governance.
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