The Center leverages its resources to identify infrastructure gaps that may be filled by long-term networks and permanent institutions of corporate governance. Among Center initiatives:
Chairmen’s Forum, an association of non-executive chairs of corporate boards in the US and Canada, meets twice a year in New York. In 2010, members authorized and funded the start of a series of Chairmanship reports probing common issues of independent board leadership through interviews and case studies. The first working paper, by Elise Walton, was published in February 2011. The Center liaises with, and helps develop, similar Chairmen’s Forums in other jurisdictions. The aim is to enhance knowledge of the independent chair model of corporate governance. The Center secured sponsorship for the project from Spencer Stuart.
Conference of Fund Leaders (CFL)
Conference of Fund Leaders (CFL) is a body of independent board chairs and lead independent directors of mutual funds in the US that meets twice a year in Washington, DC and New York. The group has opened peer dialogue on such issues as board responsibilities for risk oversight and board oversight of mutual fund proxy voting practices. The project’s aim is to enhance knowledge of mutual fund board leader responsibilities. Partners are the Mutual Fund Directors Forum, the CFA Institute and Deloitte.
Risk Council
The Center is helping to incubate a US council of thought leaders to address systemic risk. It is also working with groups in the UK and elsewhere to develop an international network of such councils. The initiative follows Center participation—with the International Corporate Governance Network—in a series of roundtables on corporate board oversight of risk.