Today, that no longer cuts it. The world in which organisations operate has fundamentally changed (World Economic Forum, 2024). And with it, the expectations placed on directors.
Artificial intelligence, cyber threats, geopolitical tensions, sustainability transitions and societal expectations create a level of complexity no single director can grasp alone. In this environment, the quality of a board is no longer defined by individual excellence, but by the complementarity of competencies within the board as a collective body.
The central question of sound governance is therefore no longer "Do we have strong directors?" but rather "Does our board, as a whole, hold the right mix of insight, experience and competencies to support sustainable value creation?"
From individual expertise to collective intelligence
Research from Harvard Business Review (Hill et al., 2026) and recent academic literature (Selivanovskikh & Bodolica, 2025) confirms that high-performing boards are marked by cognitive diversity, complementary expertise and the ability to manage strategic tensions constructively.
A strong board, in other words, is a multidisciplinary ecosystem. Complementarity among its members is essential, in terms of knowledge and background, but equally in demographic characteristics and behavioural competencies.
- Functional complementarity
This shift echoes insights from governance literature and resource dependence theory (Pfeffer & Salancik, 1978; Hillman et al., 2009): a board should not only exercise control, but also provide access to knowledge, networks and strategic insight. To challenge management on substance, a board first needs the right expertise around the table.
Financial and legal profiles have historically dominated. Today, the balance is clearly shifting, and organisations look for a blend of financial expertise, legal knowledge, AI fluency, cybersecurity and data governance, sustainability, stakeholder management, and deep expertise in human capital.
An organisation betting heavily on digital transformation, with no director at the table able to demonstrate that expertise, is taking on a real governance risk.
- Complementarity in behavioural competencies
Expertise matters, but so does the way challenges are approached. Strong boards combine analytical thinkers, strategic visionaries, pragmatic boots-on-the-ground profiles and connecting consensus-builders.
The quality of a board often comes down to the quality of its dialogue. When every director shares the same background or the same way of thinking, the risk of conformity and groupthink rises. Harvard Business Review (Hill et al., 2026) underlines that diverse perspectives lead to more robust decision-making: they surface implicit assumptions and make alternative scenarios visible.
- Demographic and societal complementarity
Gender and cultural diversity are not "compliance exercises", but strategic assets. And that diversity needs to reach beyond visible characteristics alone. Generational differences, international experience and socio-economic backgrounds enrich the boardroom too. This is not a plea for quotas, but for a board that genuinely reflects the society it serves.
Which competencies will be crucial for tomorrow's board?
- AI fluency and cybersecurity
AI is fundamentally reshaping how organisations operate. Yet research shows many remain insufficiently prepared (McClure & Gerdau, 2026). A risk.
To be clear: this does not mean every director must become a technical expert, but that directors understand the strategic implications of AI, can assess its risks and ask the right critical questions.
The same holds for cybersecurity, which has moved from an IT issue to a governance priority. Regulation such as NIS2 and the EU AI Act now places responsibility explicitly with directors. Digital resilience thus sits on the same footing as financial resilience.
- ESG and sustainability expertise
Sustainability is shifting from a reputational question to core strategy. Investors, customers, employees and regulators all hold organisations to account on it. Understanding climate risk, gauging the social impact of doing business, mapping supply-chain risks and putting sustainable value creation first: these are the essentials of futureproof governance.
- Human capital and culture
Organisations in crisis rarely trace back to a financial flaw. More often, cultural issues are at play: change management gone wrong, toxic leadership, the absence of a speak-up culture, a remote-work policy that erodes customer intimacy. Knowledge of organisational culture, appreciative organising, strategic competency and talent management, leadership: these are no longer a luxury. They have become a necessity.
- The board as a learning network
Finally, directors can no longer rely solely on what they already know. Lifelong learning matters to them more than ever. Board evaluations, competency matrices, periodic renewal of the team and external expertise are all levers for keeping a board current, effective and agile.
Conclusion
The strongest boards, then, will not necessarily be those with the most impressive individual CVs. They will be the ones that make room for different perspectives, keep their intellectual curiosity alive, do not shy away from constructive tension, and stay humble enough to bring in expertise where it is missing.
Sound governance as collective intelligence, in short. And honestly? That sounds rather futureproof.
This article was written by Charlotte Van Beirendonck, General Manager People & Consulting at Quintessence.
Hill, L. A., Paine, L. S., & Cash, J. I. (2026). “Are You Leveraging the Diverse Talent on Your Board?” Harvard Business Review.
Hillman, A. J., Withers, M. C., & Collins, B. J. (2009). Resource dependence theory: A review. Journal of management, 35(6), 1404-1427.
McClure, J., & Gerdau, G. (2026). Why AI Readiness Is an Organizational Learning Problem, Not a Technology Purchase. (Working paper). SSRN/arXiv.
Pfeffer, J., & Salancik, G. (2015). External control of organizations—Resource dependence perspective. In Organizational behavior 2 (pp. 355-370). Routledge.
Selivanovskikh, L., Bodolica, V. Corporate board of directors’ knowledge heterogeneity: a literature review and multi-domain research agenda. Manag Rev Q (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-025-00539-z
World Economic Forum (2024). Global Risks Report 2024.