The list of sought-after credentials in board candidates continues to grow -- but in one word, what should be the most important trait in a new board candidate?

A report released earlier this week by Bain & Company, "Covid-19: Is Your Board Hitting the Brakes on CEO Succession?", found that CEO transitions worldwide fell in April and May 2020 compared with same months in 2019. Is it prudent for boards to be reluctant to remove a CEO in a time of crisis? 

Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) just appointed current NFL player Larry Fitzgerald to its Board of Directors.  Fitzgerald joins a growing list of athletes and celebrities serving on corporate boards.  Do such board appointments benefit shareholders?

Are there any valid arguments remaining for the use of classified board structures (where director elections are staggered as opposed to annual)?

More than 70% of the S&P 500 now have a mandatory retirement age for board members (the most common age limit being 75)  Should a mandatory board retirement age be seen as a standard of good governance?

A recent editorial on CNN advocated for hourly employees to be represented on Walmart's Board of Directors.  Should corporations have non-executive employees represented on their board of directors?

Do celebrities belong on Boards?  Kering --a French luxury goods behemoth -- announced earlier this week that it had appointed Hollywood actress Emma Watson to its Board of Directors.  Although Watson is also a noted human rights activist, should this diversity of perspective be sufficient for Kering's shareholders?

Glass Lewis just announced it is opposing Liberty Global's $123M pay package for CEO Mike Fries -- noting that it is 4X the average compensation received by other executive officers.  However, despite Glass Lewis' comment that such pay inequity may be an indicator of "serious long-term" problems with company's board-level management and oversight, the proxy advisory firm is only voting against one director for compensation policy concerns.  Shouldn't this scrutiny fall upon all of the board members (regardless of whether or not they serve on the Compensation Committee)?

Following the truly horrific murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week, what can boards do within their own companies to help facilitate and expand upon the important national dialogue on race and systemic bigotry?

An internal boardroom fight at Mack-Cali Realty Corp. (NYSE: CLI) went public this past week in the midst of a proxy fight with investor Bow Street, LLC. Even in a contentious proxy fight is it ever appropriate for for board members to publicly disparage other board members?

Raytheon's Board of Directors announced this week that it has instituted a 20% reduction in non-employee director compensation.  Should all corporations be considering such a reduction in director compensation during this Covid-19 Crisis?

BoardProspects is excited to share a new (FREE) webinar with our Members: "COVID-19 and Compensation:  What You Need To Know (Boards, Executives and Employees)".  This informative webinar, which is brought to you by our BoardRoom Resources Partner, Compensation Advisory Partners, provides insightful guidance on compensation issues which have arisen from Covid-19.  The webinar can be found in our BoardUniversity Section:  

COVID-19 and Compensation:  What You Need To Know (Boards, Executives and Employees)

Facebook announced this week that pursuant to its settlement with federal regulators after the Cambridge Analytica scandal that it has formally created a Privacy Committee of the Board of Directors.  The Committee is charged with responsibility for overseeing risks related to privacy and data use, including management's periodic assessment of Facebook's Privacy Program and any related policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management.  Given the continued cybersecurity risks faced by almost all corporations, should every Board of Directors have a standing Privacy Committee?

Warren Buffett made news at Berkshire Hathaway's Annual Meeting this past week when he rejected a shareholder proposal from the New York City Comptroller's Office which would require the company to have women and people of color in any external search for directors and CEOs at its companies.  Buffett supported the concept of increased diversity on boards and in the c-suite, but stated he did not believe it should be mandated as part of the search process.  Do you agree with Buffett considering this measure would not have required a "quota" in terms of actual diversity appointments, but ...

At Boeing's Annual Meeting this past week, 52% of the company's shareholders cast a non-binding vote to permanently split the role of Chairman and CEO.  Boeing's board has warned that such a measure would "impose irrevocable limits on the board's future flexibility."  Should the board adhere to the sentiment of the majority of shareholders and permanently split the Chairman and CEO roles?

Will expertise in crisis management be a prerequisite for new board members in the post Covid-19 World?

Should boards create a special committee to oversee the corporation's response to the Covid-19 Pandemic?

Covid-19 Crisis -- Should All Boards Be Discussing Executive Salary Cuts?

Does the sheer magnitude of the Covid-19 crisis warrant any special actions by a board of directors to ensure the economic survival of their corporation?