Everyone Wants a Board Role:
And What You Should Know First
We’ve been watching a fascinating trend unfold: the growing appetite for board roles.
Our CEO, Victoria Butt recently shared her reflections on this shift, sparked after hosting our Emerging Board Directors event last year.
The room was packed with ambitious executives looking to understand how to step into governance, and it raised a powerful question:
Why are board roles, where you can shoulder enormous responsibility for comparatively modest pay, more sought after than ever?
What’s Driving the Rush to be on the Board?
Drawing from our CEO’s insights, we see a few key factors at play:
CEO Burnout is Peaking –
Executive roles are gruelling.
Long hours, constant pressure, and little downtime have many leaders eyeing board seats as a more sustainable alternative.Career Insurance –
A board position offers credibility, diversification, and in uncertain times, a way to safeguard income and relevance.ESG Momentum –
Demand for diversity, ethics, and social awareness has opened doors to non-traditional candidates, creating opportunities for fresh perspectives.Post-COVID Gaps –
The pandemic exposed weaknesses in governance.
Boards are now accelerating appointments to bring in digital-savvy and future-focused leaders.Status and Signalling –
A board role remains a prestigious marker of success, carrying weight both professionally and socially.
The Reality Check
But as Victoria rightly points out, the pathway isn’t as glamorous or accessible as it may seem:
Board appointments remain tightly held and fiercely competitive, making them hard to secure.
Replacing an executive salary usually requires four to five board seats, which is demanding, high risk, and often stressful.
And something nobody is talking about:
The culture of the board can hinge entirely on the Chair, and the dynamics can shift overnight.
What This Means for Leaders
For executives considering a “portfolio board career,” it’s vital to move forward with eyes wide open.
Research the realities, speak to those with lived experience, and weigh up whether this path aligns with your long-term goals, not just the allure of prestige.
At Parity, we’ll continue to explore and support this evolving space, both through our recruitment expertise and our leadership events. The appetite for governance roles is real, but so too are the challenges.
Want more insights from our Emerging Board Directors event?
Read the key takeaways here.
Or if you are looking for a Board Role?
Reach out to Victoria Butt for a confidential discussion.
Why Partner with us?
Business leaders need top-tier talent to exceed expectations and drive growth.
At Parity, we swiftly attract and mobilise the best candidates across Financial Services and Tech, ensuring they align with your culture, performance, and reputation.
With years of earned trust, Parity specialises in unearthing those perfect truffles. These are candidates in Product, Governance, Marketing, Communications, Digital, Data and Transformation, who will elevate your organisation while ensuring quality always trumps quantity.
Our equitable and transparent placement process is trusted by clients and candidates alike.