Faced with increasingly complex oversight challenges and demands for greater transparency, how can today's boards do more for their companies? In this board of directors education program, you will gain a deeper understanding of the board's responsibilities in areas such as financial resilience, strategic direction, executive compensation, and regulatory compliance. At the same time, you will learn how to work more effectively with fellow directors and company management to strengthen governance, manage unexpected crises, and make decisions that drive long-term corporate success.

Summary: Faced with increasingly complex oversight challenges and demands for greater transparency, how can today's boards do more for their companies? In this board of directors education program, you will gain a deeper understanding of the board's responsibilities in areas such as financial resilience, strategic direction, executive compensation, and regulatory compliance. At the same time, you will learn how to work more effectively with fellow directors and company management to strengthen governance, manage unexpected crises, and make decisions that drive long-term corporate success.

Key Benefits

This corporate governance program is based on the premise that there is no one best way for boards to operate—rather, each board must develop practices that suit the unique needs of its company and management. As you examine the latest thinking on the internal function of corporate boards, interaction with management, and overall board relations, you will discover how to enhance and focus your own board's efforts.

DetailsExpand All Collapse All

Strengthen the impact of your corporate board Strengthen the impact of your corporate board

Achieve trust through more positive relationships within the board and with the management team
Create more efficient governance processes
Make the most of each board member's time, knowledge, and experience
Contribute more meaningfully to corporate oversight activities

Expand your personal and professional network Expand your personal and professional network

Extend your network by living and working with accomplished executives from various backgrounds, industries, and countries across the globe
Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights into your business challenges and career decisions

Key Benefits

Details

Strengthen the impact of your corporate board

Achieve trust through more positive relationships within the board and with the management team
Create more efficient governance processes
Make the most of each board member's time, knowledge, and experience
Contribute more meaningfully to corporate oversight activities

Expand your personal and professional network

Extend your network by living and working with accomplished executives from various backgrounds, industries, and countries across the globe
Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights into your business challenges and career decisions

Who Should Attend

This program is designed to meet the needs of board members, chairs, and directors of publicly held companies and established companies that are planning to go public or undergo a significant transformation.

Participating Companies Have Included:

American Express

Kongsberg Automotive

Midwestern Oil & Gas

Prudential Capital Group

PT Telekomunikasi Selular

Qualfon Corporation

Radius Health

Shutterfly

USAA

Dive Deeper into the Experience

We Celebrate New Ways of Thinking. Are You Ready?

Thrive in a learning environment that welcomes diverse ideas and perspectives.

Experience the Case Method in the Classroom

Watch participants debate the issues and present their viewpoints.

Discover more about business. And yourself.

Global perspectives > Leadership growth > Organizational impact.

Who Should Attend: This program is designed to meet the needs of board members, chairs, and directors of publicly held companies and established companies that are planning to go public or undergo a significant transformation.

Participating Companies Have Included:

American Express

Kongsberg Automotive

Midwestern Oil & Gas

Prudential Capital Group

PT Telekomunikasi Selular

Qualfon Corporation

Radius Health

Shutterfly

USAA

Dive Deeper into the Experience

We Celebrate New Ways of Thinking. Are You Ready?

Thrive in a learning environment that welcomes diverse ideas and perspectives.

Learn More

Learn More

Experience the Case Method in the Classroom

Watch participants debate the issues and present their viewpoints.

Learn More

Learn More

Discover more about business. And yourself.

Global perspectives > Leadership growth > Organizational impact.

Learn More

Learn More

Learning and Living at HBS

When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned HBS case method.

Learning and Living at HBS: When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned HBS case method.

Admissions Criteria and Process

We admit candidates to specific sessions on a rolling, space-available basis, and encourage you to apply as early as possible. Although most programs have no formal educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on your professional achievement and organizational responsibilities.

Admissions Criteria and Process

Answering Your Questions

Our Program Advising team can help you at any stage of the admissions process—starting with identifying the program that best addresses your learning and development goals. Contact a program advisor via email or call 1.800.427.5577 (outside the U.S., call +1.617.495.6555).

Application Submission

We recommend that you apply at least four weeks before the program start date. You may use our online form or download an application. HBS maintains all application information in strict confidentiality. We acknowledge receipt of applications via email. In the unlikely event that you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email us at exed_admissions@hbs.edu or call us at +1.617.495.6226.

Application Review

To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, our Admissions Committee makes selections that balance each participant's experience, scope of current responsibilities, and type of organization. HBS seeks candidates who reflect a broad range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds. We review applications monthly and will contact you via email with the Admissions Committee's decision.

Fee, Payment, and Cancellations

The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals. No payment is necessary until you have been accepted. Payment is required prior to the program start date. If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive a full refund. Cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received within 14 days are subject to full payment.

What You Will Learn

Through a rich learning experience that includes faculty presentations, case studies, and small group discussions, you and your peers will explore the most important strategic and organizational issues facing corporate boards today—and how the most successful boards are addressing their challenges.

What You Will Learn: Through a rich learning experience that includes faculty presentations, case studies, and small group discussions, you and your peers will explore the most important strategic and organizational issues facing corporate boards today—and how the most successful boards are addressing their challenges.

Key AreasExpand All Collapse All

The board and management The board and management

Understanding the board's role and responsibilities in relation to management
Working with management to oversee company strategy
Grooming the next generation of top management

The board's internal processes The board's internal processes

Designing the most effective structure, composition, and processes for your board
Identifying the personal qualities and characteristics needed in the boardroom
Providing constructive feedback to one another and to the board's leaders

Proactive governance and risk mitigation Proactive governance and risk mitigation

Ensuring that your company complies with relevant regulations and laws
Preparing for unexpected events and crises, such as activist takeovers, accounting fraud, environmental disasters, and cybersecurity threats

Key Areas

The board and management

Understanding the board's role and responsibilities in relation to management
Working with management to oversee company strategy
Grooming the next generation of top management

The board's internal processes

Designing the most effective structure, composition, and processes for your board
Identifying the personal qualities and characteristics needed in the boardroom
Providing constructive feedback to one another and to the board's leaders

Proactive governance and risk mitigation

Ensuring that your company complies with relevant regulations and laws
Preparing for unexpected events and crises, such as activist takeovers, accounting fraud, environmental disasters, and cybersecurity threats

Faculty

Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.

Faculty Cochair

Lynn S. Paine

John G. McLean Professor of Business Administration. Senior Associate Dean for International Development; faculty cochair of "Women on Boards;" cochair of "Making Corporate Boards More Effective;" and member of the General Management Unit.

Read Full Bio

Suraj Srinivasan

Philip J. Stomberg Professor of Business Administration. Member of the Accounting and Management Unit; faculty chair of "Audit Committees in a New Era of Governance" and "Compensation Committees: New Challenges, New Solutions"; faculty cochair of "Making Corporate Boards More Effective"; and faculty cochair of "Strategic Financial Analysis for Business Evaluation."

Exploring one of the largest cyber breaches in history.

Read Full Bio Watch the Video

Faculty

Jay W. Lorsch

Louis E. Kirstein Professor of Human Relations. Member of the Organizational Behavior Unit; and faculty chair of the "Corporate Governance Programs."

As corporations become increasingly complex, the role of the board is up for debate.

Read Full Bio Read More

Krishna G. Palepu

Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration, Senior Adviser to the President of Harvard University. Member of the Accounting and Management and the General Management Units; and faculty chair of "Senior Executive Leadership Program—India" and "China CEO Renewal Program"; and faculty cochair of "Leading Global Businesses."

Read Full Bio

Guhan Subramanian

H. Douglas Weaver Professor of Business Law, Harvard Business School, and Joseph Flom Professor of Law and Business, Harvard Law School. Member of the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit; and Faculty Chair of "Mergers and Aquisitions."

Read Full Bio

Faculty: Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.

Faculty Cochair

Lynn S. Paine

John G. McLean Professor of Business Administration. Senior Associate Dean for International Development; faculty cochair of "Women on Boards;" cochair of "Making Corporate Boards More Effective;" and member of the General Management Unit.

Read Full Bio

Suraj Srinivasan

Philip J. Stomberg Professor of Business Administration. Member of the Accounting and Management Unit; faculty chair of "Audit Committees in a New Era of Governance" and "Compensation Committees: New Challenges, New Solutions"; faculty cochair of "Making Corporate Boards More Effective"; and faculty cochair of "Strategic Financial Analysis for Business Evaluation."

Exploring one of the largest cyber breaches in history.

Read Full Bio Watch the Video

Faculty

Jay W. Lorsch

Louis E. Kirstein Professor of Human Relations. Member of the Organizational Behavior Unit; and faculty chair of the "Corporate Governance Programs."

As corporations become increasingly complex, the role of the board is up for debate.

Read Full Bio Read More

Krishna G. Palepu

Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration, Senior Adviser to the President of Harvard University. Member of the Accounting and Management and the General Management Units; and faculty chair of "Senior Executive Leadership Program—India" and "China CEO Renewal Program"; and faculty cochair of "Leading Global Businesses."

Read Full Bio

Guhan Subramanian

H. Douglas Weaver Professor of Business Law, Harvard Business School, and Joseph Flom Professor of Law and Business, Harvard Law School. Member of the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit; and Faculty Chair of "Mergers and Aquisitions."

Read Full Bio

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More Admissions Information

Program content, dates, fees, and faculty are subject to change. In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Business School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.

Need Help? Contact Us:

Program Advising team

Email: executive_education@hbs.edu

Request the Brochure

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Earn the Corporate Director Certificate

Board directors can apply this program toward the HBS Corporate Director Certificate.

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