White Paper Release: Board Stewardship Explores Digital Governance And DPDP Compliance
Board Stewardship wrapped up another engaging edition of its Monthly Live Webinar Series, Stewardship in the Boardroom, on 12 December. The session brought together over huge number of board members, Independent Directors and senior leaders for thoughtful, practical conversations on two timely themes — The Digital Board Member and Navigating the DPDP Act: Compliance and Beyond. The discussions went beyond theory, focusing on what these shifts really mean for today’s Boards and how leaders can stay effective, informed and future-ready in an increasingly digital and regulated environment.
The session also marked the e-launch of the Deininger ( Germany / India / ME) Report on The Digital Board Member, in partnership with Board Stewardship, India and Control Risks of UK/ India / Hong Kong. reinforcing Board Stewardship’s mission of enabling future-ready Boards.
Setting the context for the discussion, Vikesh Wallia, Managing Director and Editor, Board Stewardship, highlighted the growing intersection of technology, regulation, and board accountability. “As digital becomes central to enterprise strategy, Boards must move from awareness to informed stewardship. This session reinforced that strong governance today sits at the intersection of digital competence, regulatory preparedness, and ethical leadership.”
The webinar opened with a panel discussion on The Digital Board Member, examining the evolving responsibilities of Boards in an increasingly technology-led economy. Shailesh Haribhakti, Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director on multiple Boards, emphasised the need for Boards to develop digital depth to effectively protect and grow enterprises. Greg Sinclair, Deininger’s Partner and Head of Digital Risk, Asia Pacific, from Hong Kong drew on Deininger’s research and referenced the mirror and map framework as a practical guide for Boards to assess digital maturity and build capability.
The discussion was further enriched by Amit Narayan, Partner and Head of South Asia Governance, Control Risks, Deininger, who highlighted emerging digital and geopolitical risks. Manish Varghese, Managing Director and Head – Board Advisory Practice, India & Middle East, Deininger, underscored the importance of structured Board engagement on technology, cyber resilience, and data governance, while Angela Thomas, Partner – Consumer & Retail, India & Middle East, Deininger, shared insights on how digital transformation is reshaping business models and board oversight.
Reflecting on the deliberations, Shailesh Haribhakti observed, “What a phenomenal experience over 75 members of the Board Stewardship community had! The panel discussion on The Digital Board Member was of an exceptionally high quality. The excellent essence that was drawn out by Amit from all panellists was extraordinary. The questions raised were so deep and penetrating! The follow-up panel on DPDP addresses one of the most important issues of our time.”
Offering a board-level perspective, Sandhya Vasudevan, Independent Director at Tata AutoComp Systems and Hindustan Zinc, former Managing Director of Thomas Cook India and Director at Tata Trusts, noted, “Boards must be digitally savvy to both protect and grow enterprises, as Shri Haribhakti underscores. Greg Sinclair’s reference to mirror & map for the research by Derringer’s research is an excellent guide for Indian Boards seeking digital competence. With India expected to generate $1.2T of its $5T economy digitally, digital fluency is no longer optional—it is a core governance imperative.”
The second segment focused on Navigating the DPDP Act – Compliance and Beyond. Moderated by CS Shivprasad Laud, Advisory Board Member, Fourteenth Degree Azimuth (India) Advisory, the discussion featured Nandan Pendsey, Partner, AZB & Partners, and Udit Pahwa, Chief Information Officer, Blue Star Limited, who examined the Act’s legal, technological, and operational implications.
Summarising the session, CS Shivprasad Laud stated, The webinar on Navigating The DPDP Act – Compliance And Beyond brought out several nuances of the DPDP Act and Rules. The audience was enlightened on various provisions from a legal as well as a technological perspective. It was emphasised that Boards today need to be even more wary to not only avoid the huge penalties, which may run up to Rs. 250 crores, but to also safeguard reputation and enhance trust with all its stakeholders.”
The webinar concluded with appreciation for all speakers, knowledge partners, and participants, reaffirming Board Stewardship’s role as a trusted platform for advancing effective governance in a rapidly evolving digital and regulatory landscape.
