Survey: Views Of Directors, Major Investors, Diverge On The Key Issues

Board directors and investors have different ideas of what qualities are most desirable in corporate board members, with investors rating risk management as their number one priority and directors seeking industry expertise above all else, according to a white paper by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The results come from two recent surveys of more than 900 directors of major companies and 65 institutional investors representing more than $2 trillion in aggregate assets.

Investors also ranked gender diversity as a higher priority than directors. “Many stakeholders are also interested in seeing boards continue to become more diverse—particularly in areas such as gender, race, and professional background,” the report states. “Board diversity is still an area where challenges remain—as the percentage of women and minorities serving on boards has remained relatively flat over the last several years, according to data from Spencer Stuart’s 2012 Board Index.”