NEDs reimagined: a post-Higgs review
From Director Podcast by Institute of Directors
January 15, 2026 · 33 min
About this episode
The episode discusses a landmark report on the evolving role of non-executive directors in today's business environment.
“ NEDs Reimagined: A post-Higgs review of the role and contribution of non-executive directors ” is a landmark report from the IoD’s independent Commission chaired by The Rt Hon. Baroness Evans of Bowes Park. The report calls for a fundamental rethink of what makesboards effective in today’s complex business environment – more than two decades after the influential 2003 Higgs Report first set the blueprint for non-executive leadership in the UK. While the principles of the Higgs Review remain vital, the IoD Commission argues that the time has come for boards to evolve from a model of periodic oversight to one of active, informed, and adaptive stewardship. In this episode, Jonathan Geldart (IoD Director General) andIrene-marie Esser (author of the report) take a look at what the Commission investigated, the key themes emerging from its work, and the implications for boards and non-executive directors in practice.
People in this episode
Host: Jonathan Geldart
Guest: Irene-marie Esser
Topics covered
- non-executive directors
- board effectiveness
- business leadership
- Higgs Review
- corporate governance
- stewardship
Keywords
- non-executive directors
- Higgs Review
- board effectiveness
- corporate governance
- business leadership
- stewardship
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Institute of Directors, IoD Commission
Books & works: Higgs Report, NEDs Reimagined: A post-Higgs review
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