Rethinking the Right Stuff: In an Era of Disruption and AI, Boards Are Rethinking the Balance Between Expertise, Oversight and Boardroom Effectiveness

Directors & Boards revisits its landmark 2021 composition piece and finds that the shift toward broader skill sets has now become an urgent imperative driven by generative AI, geopolitical instability, workforce transformation, and rising stakeholder scrutiny. Nominating committee chairs are now specifically seeking directors who are AI-forward, able to apply AI insights not just to technology but to strategy, risk, and personal governance effectiveness. For SEA mid-market CEOs appointing their first independent directors, this article crystallises exactly what to look for and what questions to ask in a board skills audit.