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Board Director and Chair Services

Experience true partnership as you bring leadership to the boardroom

Shareholders and society as a whole now expect much more from boards of directors, as part of increased scrutiny of our institutions. In addition, there is a growing demand from senior executives for their boards to provide judgment and wisdom on how to “do things better,” taking advantage of global and technological opportunities while avoiding traps and ensuring growth and sustainability.

At Egon Zehnder, we welcome this higher level of scrutiny and stand ready to work with you as partners in building the best boards of directors possible. Through more than 400 international board-consulting assignments annually, we have accumulated insight on a broad range of topics that boards will encounter. Our experience goes well beyond executive search to build on nearly 50 years of learning how board directors can have the greatest impact, both individually and collectively.

We take particular pride in our deep experience helping boards of directors source and develop leadership talent, both on the board and in CEO succession projects. With 63 global offices in 36 countries, we are able to identify, assess, and develop director candidates all over the world. The collective expertise of our consultants — all of whom had significant careers in business before coming to our firm — allows us to better understand and anticipate your talent requirements in this area. Our wide reach also enables us to be creative when it comes to talent solutions; you can expect to meet candidates who don’t show up in traditional databases and who bring diversity of all kinds.

Our board work has three main components. With each of them, we leverage our unique global reach and equal partnership model to make sure that everything we do has a singular focus: bringing better leadership to the boardroom. We invite you to experience true partnership as you build a more effective board.


Board Directors & Chairs Consultants

Ashley Summerfield

Ashley Summerfield

London

Global Lead

Ashley Summerfield leads Egon Zehnder’s global CEO and Board Consulting Practice. He is a trusted advisor to scores of prestigious clients around the… Read more

Elke Hofmann

Elke Hofmann

Munich Office Leader

Local Lead

Based in Munich, Elke Hofmann heads Egon Zehnder’s Munich office and leads the CEO & Board Advisory Practice in Germany. Read more

Thorsten Gerhard

Thorsten Gerhard

Stuttgart

Local Lead

Based in Stuttgart, Thorsten Gerhard leads Egon Zehnder’s CEO and Board Consulting Practice in Germany. He advises on CEO succession and executive… Read more

Alex Lee

Alex Lee

Hong Kong, Shanghai

Alex leads Egon Zehnder’s Services practice in Asia Pacific, and jointly runs the firm’s Marketing and Sales practice in the same region. Read more

Fiona Cai

Fiona Cai

Hong Kong, Shanghai

Fiona co-leads Egon Zehnder’s Financial Service Practice in Greater China. Based in Hong Kong and Shanghai, Fiona is active in Egon Zehnder’s family… Read more

Lydia Tang

Lydia Tang

Hong Kong

Lydia Tang, based in Hong Kong, is active in Egon Zehnder’s Financial Services practice focusing on Insurance, Asset and Wealth Management… Read more

Jason Jia

Jason Jia

Shanghai

Jason Jia, based in Shanghai, is a Partner of Egon Zehnder and currently leads Egon Zehnder’s Consumer Practice in Greater China. Read more

Yao Yao

Yao Yao

Shanghai

Yao Yao is an active member of Egon Zehnder’s Consumer Practice. Based in Shanghai, she serves clients in executive succession, leadership… Read more

Luc Liu

Luc Liu

Beijing

Luc Liu, based in Beijing, works for clients in Greater China as an active member of Egon Zehnder’s Industrial Practice. Read more

Elaine Yew

Elaine Yew

Singapore

Elaine Yew is a Senior Partner in Egon Zehnder and the Global Co-Head for our Family Business and Family Office Practice. Read more

Kenichi Iwata

Kenichi Iwata

Tokyo Office Leader

Kenichi Iwata leads Egon Zehnder’s Tokyo Office while working as a member of the Firm’s Private Capital, Service and Board Consulting practices. Read more

Nobuko Tabata

Nobuko Tabata

Tokyo

Nobuko Tabata, based in Tokyo, has deep expertise advising family businesses and improving diversity and gender parity in management… Read more

Junichi Iwagami

Junichi Iwagami

Tokyo

Junichi Iwagami, based in Tokyo, is the leader of our Financial Services practices. He is also active in Industrial practices as well as board… Read more

Shinji Ioka

Shinji Ioka

Tokyo

Based in Tokyo, Shinji Ioka is active in Egon Zehnder’s Industrial Practice and Technology Practice. He is especially active in the automotive… Read more

Chie Iida

Chie Iida

Tokyo

Chie Iida, based in Tokyo, is an active member of Egon Zehnder’s Leadership Advisory, Board Consulting, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practices. Read more

Vivi Firdauzi

Vivi Firdauzi

Jakarta

Vivi Firdauzi is active in Egon Zehnder’s Financial Services Practice Group. She has broad knowledge and experience in multiple lines of financial… Read more


Thought Leadership | Board Directors & Chairs

Read more insights
The Fundamentals of Corporate Governance

The Fundamentals of Corporate Governance

One of the sessions of Egon Zehnder’s Directors Program looked at the “Fundamentals of Corporate Governance,” examining a broad set of recommendations and challenges… Read more

Achieving Long-Term Strategic Alignment Between Boards and Management

Achieving Long-Term Strategic Alignment Between Boards and Management

A new session of Egon Zehnder’s Directors Development Program looked at executive strategy in the boardroom and how companies can best prepare themselves as… Read more

How Boards Can Own the Company Strategy Without Acting on It

How Boards Can Own the Company Strategy Without Acting on It

“What is strategy?” asked Ashish Nanda to board members attending Egon Zehnder’s Directors Development Program. Read more

The Forward-Looking Board: Insights from Board Members

The Forward-Looking Board: Insights from Board Members

To truly provide foresight, boards must embrace continuous learning and remain open to diverse perspectives, fostering an environment where trust, accountability, and ethical considerations… Read more

Taking a Seat at the Table: How HR Leaders Are Adding Value in the Boardroom

Taking a Seat at the Table: How HR Leaders Are Adding Value in the Boardroom

HR leaders spoke about their board service, the value they added, and advice they would give to HR professionals who may be considering board… Read more

Rethinking Board Motivation — Future

Rethinking Board Motivation — Future

In light of the increased pressure on chairs to ensure engagement and contribution of board directors, we asked survey participants about the best way… Read more

Rethinking Board Motivation — Compensation

Rethinking Board Motivation — Compensation

Directors want to simplify compensation and raise fixed retainer fees to attractive yet sufficient levels. Read more

Rethinking Board Motivation — Committees

Rethinking Board Motivation — Committees

An essential part of board work is done in its committees, making it necessary to understand the types of committees that have been established… Read more

Rethinking Board Motivation — Composition

Rethinking Board Motivation — Composition

There are indications that the composition of boards is changing due to the increasing complexity of board work. To meet the new challenges that… Read more

Rethinking Board Motivation — Motivation

Rethinking Board Motivation — Motivation

The motivations to join boards are shifting toward impact and purpose over monetary rewards or prestige.​ Read more

Rethinking Board Motivation

Rethinking Board Motivation

An in-depth look at the landscape, trends and compensation of board directors. Read more

The Great Board Refresh

The Great Board Refresh

Egon Zehnder hosted board roundtables in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to discuss the significant transformation being faced by boardrooms today. Read more

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