Board Stewardship Successfully Hosts January Edition of ‘Stewardship in the Boardroom’
Board Stewardship successfully hosted the January edition of its flagship Monthly Live Webinar Series, ‘Stewardship in the Boardroom,’ on 9th January 2026. The webinar brought together seasoned board leaders, Independent Directors, and governance professionals to deliberate on the evolving meaning of stewardship in today’s boardrooms and the leadership imperatives shaping future-ready Boards.
The January edition focused on the principles and practices of effective board stewardship at a time when organisations are navigating heightened stakeholder expectations, leadership transitions, and long-term value creation challenges. A key highlight of the webinar was the e-launch of the book ‘Leadership Beyond the Playbook’ by Roopa Kudva, former Head of CRISIL & Omidyar Network India, which offered insights into leadership that transcends conventional frameworks and checklists.
The webinar commenced with a welcome address by Vikesh Wallia, Managing Director and Editor, Board Stewardship, who stressed, “Through the January edition of Stewardship in the Boardroom, we reaffirmed the importance of stewardship-led governance in an increasingly complex environment. As we enter 2026, our focus is on global expansion, strengthening our Advisory Board, and building a collaborative platform for the board community worldwide.”
This was followed by the Inaugural Address by Shailesh Haribhakti, Chairman of the Advisory Board, Board Stewardship, and Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director on multiple Boards, who stated, “The rich content on leadership that emerges from this webinar is truly remarkable! Need to transmit it widely to enable many to imbibe relevant lessons and build from their own position and potential!”
The e-launch of ‘Leadership Beyond the Playbook’ featured Roopa Kudva sharing perspectives from her leadership journey and the ideas explored in the book, with a focus on values-driven leadership, decision-making beyond templates, and the human dimensions of governance. Kudva shared, “Leadership Beyond the Playbook is a leadership companion that helps you define what kind of leader you want to be. Leadership is not neat or formula-driven; it is personal, shaped by context, choices, and values. The book emphasises judgement, perspective, and practical tools to help leaders create their own authentic leadership path.”
A lively panel discussion moderated by Sylvia Smetana, Founder of Divershefy; Shailesh Haribhakti; Roopa Kudva; and leadership coach Khurshed Dordi delved into how Boards can bring stewardship alive in strategy, culture, and oversight, while striking the right balance between performance, purpose, and accountability.
Sylvia Smetana noted, “I was privileged to discuss how Board and C-level leaders can navigate persistent ambiguity, leverage AI, support a growth mindset in the boardroom, close the strategy–execution gap, increase value creation while safeguarding declining levels of trust from the public and stakeholders, and create a human-centric business culture that enables long-term success.”
Dordi highlighted, “The panel explored how Boards must stay effective amid ambiguity. Directors now operate in fast-changing global and ecosystem contexts, where signals are incomplete and consequences amplify. Effective stewardship demands curiosity about markets, awareness of AI’s impact, and staying plugged into people, customers, and partners. Leadership evolves to be adaptive, informed, and outward-looking, not prescriptive.”
The session also included a Fireside Chat on ‘Boards Agenda for 2026,’ featuring Meena Jagtiani, Independent Director on multiple Boards and Leadership Coach, in conversation with Vikesh Wallia. The discussion reflected on emerging board priorities, leadership expectations, and the skills Boards will need to remain relevant and resilient in the years ahead.
Meena noted, “Geopolitical shifts, trade boundaries, tariffs, and workforce changes are reshaping how India and the world operate. Boards must learn to manage global impacts, focus on data protection and governance frameworks, and embrace diversity of thought and experience. These differences between India and Europe offer important lessons for Boards going forward.”
The January edition of Stewardship in the Boardroom, with BoardPAC as Knowledge Partner, highlighted Board Stewardship’s ongoing focus on enabling future Boards through informed dialogue, leadership insight, and governance excellence.
