The new webcasts feature recognized governance experts and board advisory firms offering advice for directors of publicly traded companies. Board Governance Series partners include PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Sibson Consulting, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.
“NASDAQ has partnered with Corporate Board Member magazine to offer an educational series in which leading governance experts can share their experiences and findings with other directors in a practical, no-nonsense fashion. In today's complex board environment, we feel it is critical to move beyond ‘theory' and provide directors with the necessary tools and resources to help them better perform their critical roles,” said Robert Greifeld, president and CEO, The NASDAQ Stock Market.
In the first webcast "Section 404: The Next Critical Challenge for Directors," Garrett Stauffer, partner and U.S. leader for corporate governance at PricewaterhouseCoopers, discusses how Section 404 legislation is raising the bar on internal controls and outlines some significant consequences for both management and auditors.
Holly Gregory, partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, presents "What Every Director Should Know About the New Environment." Gregory reviews the top items directors will encounter in the wake of mounting pressures on today's boards, including issues of independence, risk assessment and management, shareholder access, and succession planning.
And in another webcast, "Key Compensation Committee Guidelines in a New Environment," Blair Jones, senior vice president and practice leader, Leadership Performance & Rewards, Sibson Consulting, discusses the major forces impacting the executive pay landscape and outlines how boards can develop the right mix of compensation vehicles to support their companies' business strategies.
"In this demanding environment, directors must continue to educate themselves on the latest trends and regulatory changes in order to successfully face the challenges that lie ahead," said TK Kerstetter, president of Board Member Inc./ Corporate Board Member ." The response to last year's series was tremendously positive, and we believe this new set of web casts will be of equal interest to directors seeking guidance in a manageable format."
Additional webcast topics include steps directors can take in preparation for a potential crisis that threatens a corporation, the audit committee's role in monitoring Section 404, and shareholder expectations and proxy trends in executive compensation.
NASDAQ and Corporate Board Member launched their joint Internet-based Director Education Program in December 2002. The complete set of Board Governance Series webcasts is accessible at multiple website locations, including www.nasdaq.com and www.boardmember.com . There is no fee for access, and webcasts can be viewed at any time. In addition, Volume III of the printed Board Governance series webcasts is now available for purchase. More webcasts, supplements, and guidance will follow, as the series is designed to cover a myriad of critical board topics.
