A board seat has become more than just a career milestone for senior corporate affairs leaders – it’s a space where influence, insight and impact converge.
In three recent articles, we explore the journey to the boardroom from multiple angles: how to get there, how to position your experience and how to stay strategically relevant once you arrive.
In From Australian Government to the boardroom, Matt Crocker highlights the importance of signalling board ambition early. His advice is clear: “Make sure that you have the conversation with others who have networks or connections, so they know that you’re interested.” His public affairs background gave him a natural edge on governance and regulation – skills increasingly sought after at board level.
Get Matt’s advice on networking and positioning for board roles
Erin Atan reinforces that strategic alignment in Fresh perspective, lasting impact, where she makes the case that corporate affairs professionals are uniquely suited for board roles. “We’re natural diplomats,” she says. “We sit at the intersection of business, society and regulation. We manage crises and anticipate external risk.” Her advice? Don’t wait for permission, recognise the value of your experience and put it to work.
Discover how Erin turned CA expertise into boardroom influence
But getting a board seat is only the beginning. In Beyond board fatigue, we capture the mood from our recent roundtables in Hong Kong and Singapore, where ESG leaders are re-energising their approach to board engagement. Instead of focusing on ratings or compliance, they’re reframing ESG as a lever for growth, efficiency and innovation. One leader noted, “When you frame ESG investments as unlocking new revenue streams, boards suddenly become much more receptive.”
Find out how leading ESG professionals are getting and keeping board attention
Together, these articles offer a compelling playbook: understand your value, communicate it early, and once inside the boardroom, connect in terms that move the business forward.
