Columns
- The Board’s Strategic Role in Operationalizing Innovation
- When AI Algorithms Control Earnings Reactions
- Point/Counterpoint: To Go Public or to Stay Private?
- Why Mergers Fail When Strategy Is 'Right'
- Transforming Governance into a Growth Strategy
- How the Board Can Get the COO Position Right
- Beyond ROI: A Conversation with Purvee Kondal
- Onboarding
Director Advisory
- Human Capital Governance and the Compensation Committee’s Remit
- Strengthening Board Engagement as Volatility Tests Strategy
- Four Overlooked AI Signals Every Director Should Watch
- A Mid-Cycle Guide for Compensation Committees
- How Boards Influence Successful Carve-Outs
- The Hidden Costs of CEO Succession
- Governing the Convergence of AI and Cyber Risk
Hear Peter R. Gleason, NACD president and CEO, detail the shifts NACD and boards have experienced over the last decade.
Transformation, shift, and recalibration are words that now dominate the board’s lexicon. For more than a decade, directors have anticipated and responded to a series of unprecedented and fast-paced changes in the external environment, such as the advent of disruptive technologies. Heeding the wisdom in resources such as this issue of Directorship magazine, board members have adapted strategically to remain resilient.
In like fashion, NACD has changed. We have added new people, processes, and programs to serve our stated mission, which itself has shifted.
People. As the world changes, so do the requirements of directorship. This means that NACD and its member boards alike are continuously adding new people. As a result, there are fresh faces among our 24,000 members, our more than 100 staffers, and our board, which turns over entirely every nine years. Two new faces who joined NACD earlier this year include Mohamed Younis, senior vice president of content, and Marian Stevens, senior vice president of human resources.
At the same time, we also strive for continuance. Our membership and staff retention rates remain steady. And when our directors rotate off the board, they tend to remain involved in advancing NACD’s work. For example, Hon. Cari Dominguez, former chair of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, has advised NACD on human capital issues and serves as faculty for our Board Advisory Services.
Processes. A key NACD process is the development of our publications and research. To enhance the searchability of our content, we have moved toward nearly total digitization of our publications. We have also invested in better site navigation and multimedia to serve members the information they need.
Programs. We have expanded the selection of NACD programs available online. Our catalog of self-paced courses has grown significantly in the last few years. It now features virtual, instructor-led courses, as well as on demand e-learning and webinars. We have also maintained a robust selection of live programs.
Mission. Ten years ago, our mission was this: “NACD enhances directors’ ability to fulfill their roles to enhance the value of the enterprise.” While enterprise value creation remains important, we now leave the definition of the director’s role to our members. Instead, “we empower directors and transform boards to be future ready” by providing a place where corporate directors connect, learn, and lead together.
Our mission has become more interactive, but NACD’s aim to promote optimal board performance remains unchanged. ■
Peter R. Gleason
President and CEO of NACD
This article is from the fall 2026 issue of Directorship.