The quality of a company is as good as the quality of its board –which is what makes the collaboration between Delphos and Impact Boards Emerging Markets (IBEM) so important. Our efforts span Uzbekistan, Mexico, Mongolia, and most recently, Turkey.

The July nineteenth event in Istanbul brought together some thirty board directors and corporate executives to discuss artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, board diversity, and geopolitical risk management. Until recently, boards “explored geopolitical risks more in theory,” Ms. Helena Haykin, founder of IBEM, said. Yet recent events have made clear that boards must become more agile and strategic in the changing global environment. There is now a need for directors to understand and anticipate likely scenarios, and to adopt risk management best practices.

This demand for agility extends also to strategic decisions about when and how to leverage AI, and how to best incorporate gender and international diversity into board structures. The latter can at times prove challenging in more socially conservative emerging and frontier markets. Still, there is a growing recognition of the “value of international diversity, especially from other emerging markets,” Ms. Haykin said, and “how informed this can make corporate decision-making.”

“Our collaboration is a critical step in the continued evolution and development of frontier markets,” says Delphos Chairman and CEO, Bart Turtelboom.  Onwards and Upwards!