Behind the Boardroom Door

A Practitioner's Guide to Corporate Governance
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-34453-7
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 114 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm

The collapse of Enron, AIG, WorldCom, and Credit Suisse didn’t happen in isolation. Behind each failure lay boards that failed to fulfil their fundamental duty to shareholders, employees, customers, and the wider economy. In an era where corporate decisions ripple through global markets, the stakes for effective board governance have never been higher. Drawing on decades of experience at the helm of major corporations and boards through transformational challenges,

Patrick O’Sullivan confronts the uncomfortable realities of modern governance. How does a board chair navigate the treacherous waters of working with a domineering CEO? How can new directors break through the inertia of long-established, complacent boards? With exceptional clarity and hard-won insight, O’Sullivan provides a roadmap for boards determined to transcend mediocrity. This isn’t theoretical governance—it’s a practical guide forged in the crucible of real corporate crises. From building genuine transparency to engaging executive management effectively, from fostering board objectivity to defining the essential characteristics of successful board chairs,

O’Sullivan delivers the tools that boards need to protect value and drive sustainable performance. For directors, executives, and stakeholders who understand that governance isn’t just about compliance—it’s about corporate survival—this book offers an indispensable framework for excellence in the boardroom.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate and Professional Practice & Development

Autoren/Hrsg.

O'Sullivan, Patrick

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Unternehmensorganisation, Corporate Responsibility Unternehmenskultur, Corporate Governance
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Bereichsspezifisches Management Management: Führung & Motivation
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Unternehmensfinanzen Betriebliches Rechnungswesen
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Unternehmensfinanzen Controlling, Wirtschaftsprüfung, Revision

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Section A: The Failures of Board Governance and Regulation, Chapter 1: A history of failure, Chapter 2: A long list of failures, Chapter 3: Governance failures that exacerbate the trend-derivatives, Section B: A personal view on where Governance went wrong, Chapter 4: Where did Boards go wrong? Chapter 5: Attempts at reform, Section C: Avoiding a drift to failure, Chapter 6: Setting the right tone from the top, purpose and culture, Chapter 7: Is there a blueprint for a Board? Chapter 8: Independent chair leadership, Chapter 9: Epilogue, Appendix 1: A brief history of corporate governance, Appendix 2: Boards Inflexion points, Appendix 3: Taming Narcissus: a study by MWM Consulting, Appendix 4: UK Corporate Governance Code, Appendix 5: Corporate Collapses

Über Autor(innen)

Patrick O’Sullivan retired as chairman of Saga Plc in 2020. He was chairman of Old Mutual Plc from 2010-2018 and prior to that was Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ireland from 2011-2015. Patrick is a former chairman of the UK’s Shareholder Executive in the Coalition Government. He was also chairman of ERS ltd at Lloyds of London and a former SID at Man Group. He was Vice Chairman of Zurich Insurance services as well as having responsibility for its international businesses. Earlier Patrick was Zurich’s CFO and CEO of Eagle Star Insurance company. He held positions at Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, GE Capital (FGIC) and Barclays. He was educated at Trinity College Dublin and the LSE London.