Peter Gleason is President and CEO of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), the trusted, independent voice for corporate directors and the governance profession. As a recognized expert on board service trends, the relationship between the board and the C-suite and the impact good governance has on corporate sustainability, Peter’s expertise is highly sought after by media, public policy experts and corporate executives.

Peter leads NACD in serving the needs of its 24,000+ members who represent several thousand public, private and non-profit boards and earn stakeholders’ trust in the companies they serve. NACD members are a deeply accomplished and diverse community that is united in elevating corporate board performance and creating value for all. 

Peter joined NACD in 2000 and has served in a variety of roles including CFO, COO, Managing Director, and VP of Research and Development. He currently serves on the NACD board and the International Integrated Reporting Council. He is the past chair of the Global Network of Director Institutes (GNDI) and the former chair of the Framework Oversight Council of the Institute of Internal Auditors. Before joining NACD, Peter held leadership roles with EY, Pritchett & Associates and ISS. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and has an MBA, with concentrations in both Finance and Marketing, from Virginia Tech.

Signature Topics

Lead in a Transformative Way
Companies and their stakeholders need corporate directors’ leadership like never before. Serving on a board is an exceedingly high calling, with tremendous responsibility and unlimited promise for shaping a better tomorrow. In many respects, the future of business is in directors’ hands. They serve as steady guides for companies within a rapidly changing global landscape. In our complex economic, regulatory and social environment, all directors have the opportunity to lead in a transformative way—one that strengthens companies, enhances economies and capital markets, and ultimately instills greater hope as we look toward the future. 

Other Topics

Next Generation Corporate Governance
Long-term strategy in a short-term world is creating widespread changes to governance that is impacting the boardrooms of today and the future. It’s critical that the corporate directors of tomorrow gain the skills needed to lead in the future: financial acumen, risk management, technology literacy, communication and collaboration skills and critical thinking.

The Board and CEO Relationship
The importance of the board-CEO relationship is unequivocal. The ever-increasing complexity of the business environment is putting into focus the steps boards and CEOs alike can take to enhance their relationship through the fundamentals of good governance, such as promoting transparency and accountability, having clarity on roles and responsibilities and cultivating the next generation of leaders.