How Boards Work

And How They Can Work Better in a Chaotic World

Contributors

By Dambisa Moyo

On Sale
May 4, 2021
Page Count
304 pages
Publisher
Basic Books
ISBN-13
9781541619425

A New York Times bestselling author and veteran board member offers an insider’s view of corporate boards, their struggles, and why they must adapt to survive.

Corporate boards are under great pressure. Scandals and malpractice at companies like Theranos, WeWork, Uber, and Wells Fargo have raised justified questions among regulators, shareholders, and the public about the quality of corporate governance. In How Boards Work, prizewinning economist and veteran board director Dambisa Moyo offers an insider’s view of corporate boards as they are buffeted by the turbulence of our times.

Moyo argues that corporations need boards that are more transparent, more knowledgeable, more diverse, and more deeply involved in setting the strategic course of the companies they lead. How Boards Work offers a road map for how boards can steer companies through tomorrow’s challenges and ensure they thrive to benefit their employees, shareholders, and society at large.

  • "Highly instructive for aspiring non-executives…provides thoughtful analysis and reform.”
    Financial Times
  • How Boards Work is a detailed explainer of how corporate boards at listed companies operate, describing how often they meet and how chief executives are selected.”
     
    Reuters
  • “A highly useful primer for investors and board members alike.”
    Kirkus
  • How Boards Work offers a thorough and nuanced take on the ever-evolving role of corporate boards today. Moyo provides a candid assessment of the challenges and opportunities that directors face and wisely warns of the dangers of stasis. The book is not only a must-read for the most tenured and experienced board members, but it also provides critical context to those who one day hope to have a seat at the table.”
    Mellody Hobson, co-CEO, Ariel Investments; chair of the board of directors, Starbucks; board member, JP Morgan; former board chair, Dreamworks; and former board member, Estée Lauder
  • “Boards have incredible power to impact how companies and their stakeholders meet the challenges of the modern age. But boards are complex and living organisms that require more than just getting smart people in a room. Dambisa Moyo’s book, informed by real-world experience in negotiating complex situations, should be a must-read for any board that wants to excel and have an impact today.”
    Dan Loeb, founder and CEO, Thirdpoint, and former board member, Sotheby's
  • How Boards Work is exactly what any prospective—or sitting—board member needs to understand the true rigors and realities of board life. Having seen it all, Moyo offers valuable guidance on how boards can best focus their time and energy while grappling with social, governance, and environmental issues."
    Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global, and former board member, Uber
  • “Drawing on her direct involvements on several boards of companies facing difficult decisions, as well as her global economic expertise, Moyo has written an indispensable guide to how boards function, malfunction, and, most importantly, should operate better.”
    Mohamed A. El-Erian, president of Queens’ College, Cambridge University; board member, Under Armour; and author of The Only Game in Town and When Markets Collide

Formats and Prices

Price

$30.00

Price

$38.00 CAD

Dambisa Moyo

About the Author

Dambisa Moyo is a prizewinning author of the New York Times bestsellers Edge of Chaos, Winner Take All, and Dead Aid, and she was named one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” by Time magazine. Moyo regularly contributes to the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times. She lives in New York City and London.

Learn more about this author