Reflections from the Boardroom; Fidelio’s Christmas Reading List

After the outbreak of the Pandemic in 2020 there has been no neat return to business – or life – as usual. Instead, 2021 has proved a year of disruption, unpredictability, and accelerating long-term trends. For business this brings new risks and opportunities and for Boards greater complexity and heightened accountability.

By end-2021 Fidelio’s Board practice was seeing a sharper focus on high performing Boards, and their contribution to value.

Fidelio Overtures reflect the concerns and priorities that we see from our daily engagement with Boards and Chairs across Evaluation, Development and Search. Key themes have emerged over the year, in particular the rise of activism, embedding ESG, Boards and judgment and the value of diversity.

As 2021 draws to a close with the Christmas break providing a time for reflection as well as rejuvenation, Fidelio is very pleased to share with clients and friends our top 10 Overtures over the past year. We also include five honourable mentions, not least an Overture that divided along gender lines “Men Go To Space; Women Save the Planet.”!

Please click below for the Fidelio Overtures that have generated the most interest in 2021:

1. ESG Activism and The Board

2. Business, Boards, Government & the Planet

3. The Board, Strategy & Adding Value

4. Diversity, The Board (& COP 26) – A Snapshot

5. Bids, Boards and Section 172

6. Comply or Explain: The Judgement Muscle

7. Governance - A Commentary

8. The Search for Climate Change Competence

9. The Future of the Board Meeting

10. Cars, Composition and Climate Change

Honourable Mentions:

1. Private Equity and the Governance Landscape

2. Eight Attributes of Effective Chairs

3. Hiring in the Age of Covid - and Beyond

4. Men Go to Space; Women Save the Planet

5. Climate Change Competence in the Boardroom

We hope you enjoy revisiting these Overtures which reflect Fidelio’s thinking on Board effectiveness, as well as key challenges and debates we experienced in our work with Boards internationally.

On behalf of the entire team at Fidelio, let me wish a peaceful and safe Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.