Board Stewardship Hosts Insightful Webinar On “Board Leadership – Accountability & Governance”
Board Stewardship successfully hosted the November 2025 edition of its flagship webinar series “Stewardship in the Boardroom,” centred on the theme “Board Leadership – Accountability and Governance.” The session brought together eminent thought leaders, Independent Directors, and governance professionals to deliberate on the evolving expectations of Boards in driving integrity, stewardship, and long-term value creation.
The session commenced with a Welcome Address by Vikesh Wallia, Managing Director and Editor, Board Stewardship, who said, “Steward Leadership is the order of the day; it’s all about serving others and empowering teams to grow.” Reflecting on the presentations, he added, “Excellent deliberations by the speakers on what make great Board leaders.”
The Inaugural Address by Shailesh Haribhakti, Chairman of the Advisory Board, Board Stewardship, set the tone for the evening. He remarked, “Accountability and Governance will drive the generative nature of all human processes. Outstanding speeches and a great panel lent a flavour of excellence to Board Stewardship’s fabulous webinar on the subject. The launch of Dr. Nagpal’s book was a highlight, our collective wishes for its success and wide readership.”
A major highlight of the evening was the E-launch of Dr. Amit Nagpal’s book, “Mastering Governance Leadership & Strategic Storytelling – Lessons from PM Modi for Boards & C-Suite Leaders.” Dr. Nagpal shared that the webinar “connected the dots and cross-pollinated ideas and disciplines,” exploring new frontiers such as governance storytelling, narrative strategy, and the synthesis of statecraft and boardcraft. He noted that “both panel discussions were deeply meaningful and well moderated.”
The Panel Discussion on “Leadership Challenges for Corporate Governance,” featuring Dr. Amit Nagpal, Aparna Sharma, and Lloyd Mathias, explored how Boards can enhance effectiveness, ensure accountability, and drive sustainable growth. Lloyd Mathias reflected, “We addressed challenges and spoke about what Boards could do to enhance their effectiveness, ensure accountability, and drive value creation for all stakeholders. Real examples were shared, and Dr. Nagpal highlighted lessons Directors could learn from Prime Minister Modi.”
Aparna Sharma added depth to the discussion, sharing insights on “the shift from governance as oversight to long-term value guardianship, and from control to stewardship.”
The Fireside Chat on “Board Leadership for Accountability,” featuring Rajesh Srivastava and Dr. Anupama Vaidya, was equally engaging. Rajesh Srivastava shared, “Participating in the Board Stewardship event was an enriching experience. I gained valuable insights and was delighted to see strong participation by women Directors, reflecting growing inclusivity in Board leadership.”
Dr. Anupama Vaidya echoed this sentiment, saying, “It was a pleasure to be part of the Fireside Chat with Rajesh Srivastava—an engaging exchange that brought depth, dialogue, and diverse perspectives. Ideas flowed freely among some of the finest minds from the Board fraternity—thoughtful, nuanced, and deeply relevant to today’s governance landscape.” She also congratulated Dr. Nagpal on his book launch and thanked Vikesh Wallia for the opportunity to be part of “such an excellent initiative.”
The Keynote Address by Preety Kumar added further insight into the critical role of leadership accountability in navigating today’s complex governance environment. She stated, “Our boards have become too procedural — checking boxes rather than checking their moral compass. The role of the board must evolve — from being a regulator’s extension to being a custodian of institutional purpose. Boards must become trustees of long-term value, not just guardians of quarterly performance.”
The event concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Krishna Tewari, Executive Director, Board Stewardship, who expressed gratitude to all speakers and participants for enriching the discourse on stewardship and governance.
