With $3.6 trillion trapped in unrealised value globally, PE-backed CEOs face unprecedented pressure. The data reveals a structural truth: they fail not from lack of capability, but from influence coherence collapse. This newsletter unpacks the mechanics of CEO survivability in 2026 and why influence has become the most critical execution infrastructure. The 2026 Reality: When Survivability Becomes a Systems Problem The private equity landscape has fundamentally transformed. T

In the current business landscape, the "honeymoon phase" has effectively vanished. As we navigate a global economy defined by rapid technological shifts and evolving social contracts, every stakeholder—from the boardroom to the frontline—is silently asking the same question: Did we make the right choice? Research indicates that the earliest actions a new chief executive takes (or pointedly avoids) shape a narrative that quickly hardens into a permanent reputation. Once that s

Why Stewardship Is the Leadership Imperative In moments of crisis, most boards default to damage control. Information becomes guarded, messaging turns defensive, and decisions are made in small, insulated circles. The emerging practice of high-performing governance shows that effective crisis leadership lies not in controlling stakeholders, but in stewarding them. Boards must act not as crisis managers but as stewards of trust . This edition of The Governance Compass unpacks

Why Innovation Must Begin at the Top Many believe that innovation within the boardroom means embracing new technologies to make governance more efficient. But innovation is not efficiency — it is the by-product of a board that is already effective, aware, and agile. Real innovation begins not with software, but with behavioural creativity. It is not what boards do with tools — it is how they think, relate, and adapt. Innovation is no longer the responsibility of product teams

CEO succession is one of the most consequential undertakings any board will ever steward. It is the moment when a single decision reverberates through a decade of organisational life, shaping strategic direction, cultural identity, investor confidence, and the organisation’s long-term trajectory. Boards routinely commit significant time and attention to identifying and selecting the next chief executive. Yet surprisingly few apply the same rigour to preparing themselves for t

What truly transforms how leaders think, decide, and behave? Leadership development has become one of the most heavily invested areas of corporate life. Every year, organisations spend billions on programmes, retreats, and coaching aimed at shaping better leaders. Yet, despite the effort and resources, the impact often fades within weeks. Leaders leave inspired but unchanged — notebooks full of frameworks, inboxes full of good intentions, and calendars that quickly crowd out

1. Editorial Opening — The Invisible Physics of Leadership In every boardroom, unseen forces shape visible decisions. Strategy papers, quarterly reports, and compliance frameworks often mask a deeper negotiation — one between legacy structures, interpersonal power, institutional inertia, investor pressure, market volatility, and stakeholder expectation. These forces are rarely named aloud, yet they manifest in hesitation, passive resistance, diluted decisions, or sudden derai

1. The Geopolitical Imperative for Today’s Boardroom The geopolitical landscape has shifted — not subtly, but systemically. Boards accustomed to navigating globalisation’s tailwinds now face a radically different terrain: strategic rivalry, supply chain fragmentation, sanctions volatility, technological decoupling, and rising economic nationalism. The predictable frameworks of a post-Cold War era are dissolving into a multipolar era of volatility. As one policy review starkly

The revised UK Corporate Governance Code  now requires boards to ensure that a company’s purpose, values, strategy, and culture  are aligned. This subtle but profound shift signals that culture is no longer peripheral — it is part of the governance architecture itself. The Financial Reporting Council  is moving beyond procedural assurance toward behavioural proof: culture must now be observable, measurable, and lived. Yet alignment doesn’t happen automatically. It cannot be m

Leadership Renewal in the Age of Execution Stephen Covey’s timeless principle — “Sharpen the saw”  — was never just about self-care. It was about preserving the human capacity to lead with clarity, coherence, and conviction. Today, in an environment defined by volatility, velocity, and complexity, renewal means regulation. Leaders don’t simply recharge; they recalibrate  — aligning their internal state with the external system they lead. Because in this era of perpetual trans

1. The Core Premise Every transformation—whether it’s Vision 2030’s national ambition or a global board’s ESG pivot—rises or falls on one invisible variable: behavioural coherence. When leadership behaviour aligns, strategies move faster. When it fragments, even the best-funded initiatives lose momentum, clarity, and trust. Research by McKinsey (2025) , PwC Middle East (2024) , and the Centre for Creative Leadership (2024)  confirms a consistent pattern: Organisations that in

The Crisis Isn’t Just Strategic! Boards are trained to see crises through a strategic lens: broken supply chains, regulatory overreach,...

A Governance Compass Deep Dive on Influence as Relational Intelligence 1. What Influence Is — and It Isn’t In the boardroom, influence is...

1. Editorial Narrative: What Is a Double Bind? Every board seeks clarity. Yet many of the most difficult moments in governance do not...