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How to Make Boards Work pp 268–291Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

The Appropriate Board Chair: A Reality Check

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Abstract

Already two decades ago, Parker (1990: 42) concluded in his influential work on the chairmen of UK companies that the role of the board chair ‘has become increasingly demanding as the corporate environment has become increasingly complex and internationally competitive’. This statement sets the tone for what occurred in the years that followed. Many corporate scandals and especially the global financial crisis have triggered society at large to be more attentive and critical towards the performance of boards. In addition, corporate governance codes are strengthened in order to empower the board of directors in carrying out their duties and to protect long-term shareholder wealth. The public scrutiny as well as the corporate governance reforms put exponentially more pressure on boards and their chairmen.

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Authors
  1. Abigail Levrau
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  2. Lutgart Van den Berghe
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK

    Andrew Kakabadse

  2. University of Ghent, Belgium

    Lutgart Van den Berghe

Copyright information

© 2013 Abigail Levrau and Lutgart Van den Berghe

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Levrau, A., Van den Berghe, L. (2013). The Appropriate Board Chair: A Reality Check. In: Kakabadse, A., Van den Berghe, L. (eds) How to Make Boards Work. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137275707_10

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