Board Stewardship Huddle Singapore To Bring AI, Sustainability & Boardroom Leadership Into Focus
Board Stewardship has been successfully organizing Huddles in Singapore and now presents its third edition of Singapore Huddle on August 27, 2026, bringing together Board Members including Independent Directors, KMPs, CXOs, governance professionals and other boardroom stakeholders for discussions on the changing priorities facing Boards. The Huddle will be held from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (SST) at the Claymore & Draycott Room, Tanglin Club, Singapore, under the theme ‘Stewardship in Boardrooms’.
The Huddle is designed as a platform for candid conversations, knowledge sharing and professional networking, going beyond conventional presentations and panel discussions. The format focuses on meaningful exchanges among boardroom leaders around emerging governance priorities, leadership challenges and opportunities for long-term value creation.
Singapore, as a hub for global capital markets, governance, innovation, and startups, provides a relevant setting for the Huddle. The city is also home to a significant Indian CXO community, including senior executives who are closely connected with developments in India and the wider Asia-Pacific region. The Singapore Huddle will bring together these perspectives to examine how Boards can respond to changing business and governance expectations.
The programme will open with a Welcome Address by Vikesh Wallia, MD and Editor, Board Stewardship, followed by an inaugural address by K V Rao, Global Advisory Board Member, Board Stewardship.
The Huddle will begin with a Spotlight Session featuring Rajeev Peshawaria, CEO, Steward Leadership Institute, Singapore. Peshawaria says, “Will AI make life better or worse in the next 5-10 years? Will we reverse climate change and social inequality? Will businesses be able to generate profitable growth with leadership and governance practices of the pre-AI era? To ensure we answer these questions positively, Boards will need to significantly improve their performance.” The Huddle comes at a time when organisations are navigating major changes across technology, climate, social expectations and governance, making stronger board oversight increasingly important.
The first Fireside Chat on ‘Board Readiness for Artificial Intelligence’ will feature Dr. Rajiv Yadav, Founder & Principal Advisor, and Aditya Sisodia, Executive Leadership Coach (ICF-MCCTM), CEO & Founder, S Vision Consultants.
Speaking ahead of the Huddle, Dr. Rajiv Yadav says, “Artificial Intelligence is rapidly becoming a Board-level responsibility, yet many organisations continue to view it primarily as a technology initiative. In this session, we will explore what ‘Board Readiness for AI’ really means—from governance, accountability and risk oversight to strategic value creation.”
Aditya Sisodia says, “Artificial Intelligence is no longer only a technology conversation—it is a boardroom responsibility. Board readiness calls for Directors to look beyond adoption and examine strategic value, ethical use, data governance, risk accountability and the organisational culture needed for responsible AI.”
The AI discussion will also focus on how Directors can strengthen their understanding of AI-related risks and opportunities while ensuring that adoption is aligned with business strategy, accountability, cybersecurity, ethics and long-term stakeholder value.
Another Keynote Address will feature Colin Low, Global Independent Director. He says, “Boards are facing a ‘continuous crisis’ period. With the US-China geopolitical conflict, inflation and tariffs having consequential impacts on operating models, supply chains and cybersecurity, alongside the pressures of AI implementation, Boards need to prepare themselves to manage through this period of uncertainty.” He also points to the growing expectations around sustainability reporting and decarbonisation and the need for Boards to consider their role in navigating the climate transition.
The Huddle will then turn to ‘Sustainability execution and value creation’, with Dr. Vivek Kumar, President & CEO, Asia Pacific, JA Worldwide; Rakesh Agarwal, Partner, Price Waterhouse LLP; and Deepak Rastogi, CFO, Ola Electric, participating in the plenary session.
Deepak Rastogi says, “The plenary topics are relevant because AI and sustainability have moved to core drivers of competitiveness and creating enterprise value. Participants should leave with practical takeaways from the session.” He adds that AI readiness requires Boards to identify where AI can create measurable value while establishing accountability and guardrails around data, cybersecurity, ethics and model risk. On sustainability, he highlights the importance of linking priorities with revenue growth, resource efficiency, supply-chain resilience, access to capital, capital allocation and measurable KPIs.
Rakesh Agarwal says, “Sustainability creates value only when it moves from boardroom intent to operating discipline. The real challenge is not another commitment or report but connecting strategy, capital allocation, risk, metrics and management accountability to execution.”
Dr. Vivek Kumar says, “Stewardship is ultimately about preparing organisations for futures that are not yet visible. Boards today face the combined forces of technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate risk, and changing stakeholder expectations.” He adds that governance must extend beyond compliance and oversight to building resilience, adaptability and long-term value creation.
The sustainability discussion will examine how Boards can move beyond reporting and compliance to integrate sustainability into strategy, capital allocation, risk management, operating plans and performance measurement.
The programme will also feature a Keynote Address by Shabbir Hassanbhai, Independent Director & Non-Executive Director, Jason Marine Global Limited. He believes, “Corporate stewardship today hinges on board readiness for AI. As AI accelerates business transformation, Boards must be equipped to evaluate its strategic opportunities, mitigate emerging risks, and ensure robust oversight.” He adds that the Singapore Huddle provides an opportunity to discuss practical approaches to improving AI literacy, governance and responsible innovation.
This will be followed by a Fireside Chat on ‘NRC Role in Global Uncertainty’ featuring Roshni Wadhwa, HR Transformation Director, L’Oréal SAPMENA, and Malini Vaidya, Partner, Regional Manager & Head for Asia Pacific, Spencer Stuart.
Speaking ahead of the Huddle, Malini Vaidya says, “The primary responsibility of the NRC during global uncertainty is to ensure corporate resilience by dynamically balancing talent retention against volatile financial realities. The NRC must maintain two parallel succession playbooks: an immediate ‘emergency response’ plan if a key leader exits abruptly during a geopolitical shock, and a continuous pipeline for steady C-suite and Board renewal. In other words, rather than relying on multi-year plans, the NRC of today must proactively and constantly evaluate C-suite and Board composition against shifting external risks like supply chain vulnerabilities and global regulatory changes.”
The Fireside Chat will examine the evolving role of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC), including succession planning, leadership pipelines, Board renewal, culture, talent and aligning rewards with long-term performance amid increased governance and stakeholder expectations.
The Huddle will bring together Independent Directors, top-deck executives, aspiring Board professionals, CXOs, Company Secretaries, Compliance Officers, institutional investors and other boardroom influencers. The speaker line-up includes experienced Directors, corporate leaders and subject matter experts, with the discussions structured to encourage practical perspectives and peer-to-peer learning.
The event will conclude with a Vote of Thanks followed by networking and lunch, providing participants an opportunity to continue discussions and build professional connections.
With AI, sustainability, geopolitical uncertainty and leadership preparedness increasingly intersecting at the Board level, the Singapore Huddle is set to focus on a central question for today’s Boards: how can stewardship move beyond oversight to help organisations remain resilient, responsible and prepared for the future?
