LEADING A BOARD chairs practices across europe.

Acknowledgments
Introduction to the Second Edition
Contents
Notes on Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Work of a Chair in Europe: Context, Content and Evolution
	A Brief History of Chairing the Board in Europe
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	The Three Main Roles of the Chair
		Leading the Board
		Relationships with the CEO and Management
		Relationships with Shareholders
	Summary
	References
2 The United Kingdom: Indirect Leadership
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Existing Research
	UK Culture and Board Chairs
	Data
	UK Chairs: Principal Challenges and Practices
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Managing Difficult Board Members
		Board Dynamics
			Pre-meeting
			Leading a Meeting
			Post-meeting
		Relationship with CEO and Management
	Other Challenges and Practices
		The COVID-19 Challenge
		Chair Succession
		“Regulatory Mountains” and Strategic Focus
	Summary: A Profile of the Chair in the UK
	References
3 The Netherlands: Nudging Towards a Consensus
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Existing Research
	The Netherlands Culture Map
	Data
	Priorities for Dutch Chairs
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Relationships with the CEO and Management
		Ensuring Good Relationships Between Board Members
		Making Good Collective Decisions
			Pre-meeting
		Leading the Meeting
			Post-meeting
		Board Evaluations
	What Else Do Chairs Do?
		How Do Chairs Learn?
		Diversity in the Boardroom
		The Impact of Technology, Digitalization, and Cybersecurity
	Trends and Predictions
	Summary
	References
4 Switzerland: Diplomacy and Diversity
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Switzerland Culture Map
	Existing Research
	Data
	Challenges and Practices
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Recruiting Board Members
		Facilitating Effective Board Discussions
		Insignificant Time Commitment from Board Members
		Diversity in Board Members’ Backgrounds
		Informational Asymmetry with the CEO and Management
		Relationships with the CEO and Management
		Relationships with External Stakeholders
		Chair Succession
		Learning
		Managing COVID-19
	Summary
	References
5 Denmark: Attentive Master of the Boardroom
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Denmark Culture Map
	Existing Research and Hypotheses
	Data
	The Work of a Chair: The Incumbent’s View
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Leading the Board
			Pre-Meeting
			In-Meeting
			Post-Meeting
		Managing Difficult Board Members
		Working with Employee Representatives on the Board
		Relationships with the CEO and Management
		Chair Succession
	Summary
	References
6 Sweden: Proactive Chairs Engaging Stakeholders
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Research Hypotheses, Methodology and Data
	The Roles of a Board Chair in Sweden
		Chair–Shareholder Relationships
		Leading the Board
			Outside of the Boardroom
			In the Boardroom
		Chair–CEO Relationships
		Chair Succession
	Board Chairs in Sweden: Today and Tomorrow
	References
7 Norway: Guardians of Trust
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Research Hypotheses
	The Role of a Chair in Norway
		Relationship with Shareholders
		Enabling the Board
			Before the Meeting
			During the Meeting
			After the Board Meeting
		Managing Difficult Board Members
		Chair–CEO Relations
		Technology
		Chair Succession
	What Makes a Chair Effective in Norway?
	How Will the Chair’s Work Evolve?
	References
8 Finland: Powerful Downplay
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Research Hypotheses and Methodology
	The Roles of a Board Chair in Finland
		Chair–Shareholder Relationships
		Leading the Board
		Tandem Governance: The Chair–CEO Collaboration
		Chair Succession
	What Makes a Chair Effective?
	Board Chairs in Finland: Today and Tomorrow
	References
9 Smooth Operator: The Chair as the Drive Belt of the German Governance System
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Existing Research
	Germany Culture Map
	Data
	Work of the Chair Through the Eyes of Respondents
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Relationships with External Stakeholders
		Leading the Board
			Pre-meeting
			In-meeting
			Post-meeting
		Managing Difficult Board Members
		Interactions with Employee Representatives on the Supervisory Board
		Relationships with the CEO and Management
		Being a Chair—A Lifelong Learning Process
		The COVID-19 Challenge
		New Challenges
		Chair Succession
	Summary
	References
10 Chairs in France: Conducting a Grand Orchestra
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Corporate Governance in France—Framework for the Chair’s Work
	Role and Authority of a Board Chair: Regulatory Prescriptions
	French Culture and the Work of the Chair
	Existing Research
	Methodology and Sample
	Role and Functions of a Board Chair: Tradition and Change
		The Chair as the Orchestrator of the Governance System
		Leading a Board
		The CEO’s Senior Sparring Partner
		Representing the Board in Relationships with Shareholders and Other Stakeholders
		Success and Succession
	What Makes a Chair Effective?
	Future Evolution of the Chair’s Work in France
	References
11 Italy: Alignment for Effectiveness
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Existing Research
	Italy Culture Map
	Data
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Relationship with the CEO and Management
		Leading the Board
		Managing Difficult Board Members
		Relationships with External Stakeholders
		Chair Succession
		Diversity
		Climate Change and Sustainability
		Digitalization
		Covid-19
	Summary
	References
12 Spain: From Honoured Authorities to Articulators of Expectations
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Spain Culture Map
	Existing Research
	Data
	The Views of Chairs on Their Role and Involvement in the Firm
		The Chair’s Relationship with Shareholders
		Management of Board Meetings
			Before the Meeting
			During the Meeting
			After the Meeting
		Chairs and Board Committees
		Chair–CEO Relationships
	Other Challenges and Practices
		Board Evaluation
		The Chair’s Role in Board Member Nomination and Dismissal
		Relationships with Non-Shareholding Stakeholders
	Changes in the Chair’s Role
	References
13 Ukraine: Navigating the Maze
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	National Culture and the Work of the Chair
	Research Sample
	Types of Chairs in Ukraine
	The Work of a Chair
		Defining the Role
		Leading a Board
			During the Meeting
			Post-meeting
		Relationship with the CEO
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Chair Succession
		COVID-19 and Its Impact
	What Makes a Chair Effective in the Ukrainian Context
	Summary
	References
14 Turkey: Between Traditional and Modern Leadership
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Existing Research
	Turkey Culture Map
	Data
	Chairs in Turkey: Key Challenges and Practices
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Board Dynamics
		Collaboration Outside the Boardroom
		Managing Difficult Board Members
		Board Evaluation
		Relationships with the CEO and Management
		Chairs’ Development and Succession
	Profile of the Chair in Turkey
	Adapting During the COVID-19 Pandemic
	The Future
	References
15 Russia: Powerful Moderation
	The Chair’s Work in Context
	Existing Research
	Russia Culture Map
	Data
	Russian Chairs: Global Challenges and Practices
		Relationships with Shareholders
		Board Dynamics
			Pre-meeting
			Leading the Meeting
			Post-meeting
		Managing Conflict Within the Board
		Relationships with the CEO and Management
	Other Challenges
		Covid-19
	Summary
	Trends for the Next Five Years
	References
16 “Top Fives” of Chairing a Board in Europe
	The Five Most Common Practices in Europe
	The Five-Plus-One Most Important Traps to Avoid
	Five Attributes that Make a Chair Effective
	Fourteen Original Practices
	Five Learning Strategies for a Board Chair
	References
17 The Future Role of the Chair in Europe
	Chair Attributes: Who Will Occupy the Role Over the Next Decade?
	Four Key Factors Shaping the Role of the Chair
		Shareholder Activism, Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability
		More Frequent and More Complex Business Disruptions
		Technology: How Will It Change the Way the Chair Works?
		Shaping Corporate Culture
	Conclusion
	References
Appendix A: Research Methodology and Data Collection
Appendix B: Chairs’ Challenges and Practices
Index