Academy Workshop - Governing the Ungovernable: Board Resilience in a Volatile World

Geopolitical disruption, sanctions, cyber incidents and other systemic shocks are no longer isolated events. They are persistent risks that test an organisation’s governance, resilience and ability to respond under pressure. This interactive roundtable will explore how boards can move beyond monitoring risk to ensuring they are equipped to identify, govern and respond effectively when a crisis materialises.

Using real-world examples, participants will examine the governance structures, reporting frameworks and accountability mechanisms that support effective oversight of geopolitical risk.

The session will then focus on the first 24 to 72 hours following a significant event, addressing rapid decision-making, stakeholder management, sanctions and compliance issues, crisis communications and the documentation of board decisions. Finally, delegates will discuss how organisations can embed lessons learned, strengthen business continuity and risk management processes, and enhance long-term organisational resilience in an increasingly uncertain world.

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

• Identify the principal governance challenges created by a persistent and fast-moving geopolitical risk environment, and explain how these challenges affect board decision-making and organisational resilience.
• Evaluate whether their organisation’s governance arrangements clearly allocate ownership, accountability and committee responsibility for geopolitical risk.
• Explain how geopolitical risk should be integrated into enterprise risk management, management information, regulatory horizon-scanning, scenario planning and escalation frameworks.
• Apply an effective governance response to a materialised geopolitical risk by identifying the necessary decision-making, documentation, stakeholder assessment, communications and escalation steps, and by citing the longer-term actions required to embed lessons and strengthen resilience.

Speakers:

Nicola Evans, Partner, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader

Francesca Parker, Partner, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader

Jamie Rogers, Partner, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader

Ellie Rees, Counsel, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader