Boardroom Governance with Evan Epstein
Business & Finance
About
In-depth interview podcast with leading corporate governance experts, including world-class founders, scholars, board members, executives, investors and more. The content is structured as a long-form conversation to explore not only the latest corporate governance trends, but also to get some personal insights from some of the best and brightest minds behind America's boardrooms.
Episodes
- Marie Oh Huber: Governing Through Disruption
(0:00) Intro (1:34) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel (2:21) Start of interview (3:20) Marie's origin story (5:19) Career Path in Law and Governance. Her time at HP and Agilent Technologies. (7:50) Trans…
- Eddie Ramos: How AI Is Reshaping Investing and Boardrooms
(0:00) Intro (1:24) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel (2:11) Start of interview *reference to the BRI from LCDA (3:54) Eddie's origin story (6:27) Eddie's investment focus (7:44) The rise of AI and its i…
- Steven Lipin: Activism, M&A, and the Rising Stakes of Board Communication
(0:00) Intro (1:36) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel (2:23) Start of interview (3:11) Steve's origin story (5:05) His Journey into Journalism (6:02) The Rise of Governance Movement (7:00) Transformation…
- Benjamin Means: The Principles of Family Business Law and Governance
(0:00) Intro, *Reference to prior episode with Ben Means ( E105 ) (1:36) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel . (2:23) Start of interview. (3:39) The Premise of his new book Family Business Law (6:48) Under…
- Eric Ries: Incorruptible, and the Case for Long-Term Governance Reform
(0:00) Intro (1:40) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel (2:26) Start of interview (3:19) Eric's origin story (5:00) The Lean Startup Journey (10:23) About The Long-Term Stock Exchange (18:00) Governance an…
- Benjamin Edwards: The Rise of Nevada in the Reincorporation Debate
Benjamin Edwards, a Professor of Law at UNLV and Senior Of Counsel at Wilson Sonsini, discusses the competition between U.S. states like Delaware, Texas, and Nevada for corporate reincorporation. The episode covers the advantages and disad…
- Joelle Emerson: Why Company Culture Is a Core Governance Issue
Joelle Emerson, CEO of Paradigm, joins Evan Epstein on Boardroom Governance to discuss company culture as a central governance concern. The conversation covers the backlash against DEI, the impact of AI on the workforce, and the responsibi…
- Leo Strine: Delaware’s Moment, AI Guardrails, and a Call of Conscience
Former Delaware Supreme Court Chief Justice Leo Strine discusses the state of Delaware corporate law, recent legal shifts, and the societal responsibilities of contemporary leadership. The conversation also explores the impact of AI on cor…
- Betsy Atkins: Why Directors Must Become More Entrepreneurial and Change-Adaptive
Betsy Atkins, with extensive experience on 38+ public company boards, emphasizes the necessity for directors to be entrepreneurial and change-adaptive, especially when making decisions with incomplete information. The episode covers her in…
- Michael Ewens (Columbia Business School): What the Data Reveals About Startup Boards and Private Equity
Michael Ewens, Professor of Finance at Columbia Business School, shares insights from his research on startup boards and private equity. The discussion covers the role of independent directors, control dynamics in startup boards, the futur…
- Jennifer Ceran: From Treasury to CFO to the Boardroom
Jennifer Ceran, a finance executive and board member, shares her career path from Treasury at companies like Sara Lee, Cisco, and eBay, to CFO roles at Coupons.com and Smartsheet, including taking Smartsheet public. She also details her ex…
- Jeff Epstein (Bessemer Venture Partners): Why Effective Boards Spend Time on Decisions Not Yet Made
Jeff Epstein shares his career path from investment banking to CFO roles in media and tech, followed by his work at Bessemer Venture Partners. He details his board experience, focusing on effective governance, the dynamics between CEOs and…
- Joe Grundfest (Stanford): 2026 Predictions and 2025 Reflections
Joe Grundfest discusses 2026 predictions and 2025 reflections on corporate governance with Evan Epstein, covering topics like the IPO environment, Elon Musk's pay, Tesla's valuation, the AI bubble, OpenAI, and the Delaware legal system.
- David Berger: Year-End Reflections on Corporate Governance and the Road Ahead
David Berger, President of the American College of Governance Counsel, reflects on 2025 corporate governance trends, including AI's role, dual-class share debates, and the shift to private markets. He also touches on Delaware's governance…
- Richard Blake: Key Takeaways from the 2025 Silicon Valley 150 Governance Report
Richard Blake, partner at Wilson Sonsini, joins Evan Epstein to review the 2025 Silicon Valley 150 Governance Report. The discussion includes AI's influence on markets, ESG and climate disclosure regulations, SEC policy shifts, and trends…
- Michelle Leder (Footnoted): Uncovering Hidden Risks in SEC Filings
Michelle Leder, founder of footnoted.com, joins Evan Epstein to discuss her work uncovering information in SEC filings. They cover the origins of Footnoted, the challenges in public and private markets, red flags in filings, executive comp…
- Erik Lie: Catching Cheats, Fraud Detection, and the Board’s Evolving Role
Erik Lie, Professor at the University of Iowa, shares insights from his book "Catching Cheats" on forensic economics and fraud detection. The discussion covers board responsibilities, red flags from the Madoff case, insider trading, whistl…
- Sue Siegel: Innovation, Life Sciences, and Governance in a Changing World
Sue Siegel shares her extensive experience in life sciences, venture capital, and board membership. The discussion covers the evolution of venture capital, the influence of AI on governance, navigating geopolitical risks, and the importanc…
- Karen Page: Venture Boards, Founder Governance, and the Path from Startup to Scale
Karen Page, General Partner at B Capital, shares her journey from early tech careers to venture capital, emphasizing the critical role of founder governance, building trust, and navigating transitions from startup to scale.
- Joele Frank and Anne Chapman: Strategic Communications, Activism, and Governance
Joele Frank and Anne Chapman discuss their firm's history, shareholder activism, executive compensation, the impact of geopolitical tensions and ESG on governance, and the challenges posed by AI.
- Stephen Bainbridge (UCLA): The State of Corporate Law and Governance in the U.S.
Stephen Bainbridge, Professor of Law at UCLA, discusses the current era of corporate law, the shift to Substack, Delaware SB21, and its implications for shareholder rights. The conversation also touches on Texas and Nevada as business envi…
- Brad Feld: Startup Boards and Lessons from Four Decades in VC
Brad Feld, an investor and entrepreneur since 1987, shares insights on startup boards, drawing from his experience with firms like Foundry Group and Techstars. He discusses board composition, founder terms, and governance during the AI boo…
- State of the Markets and AI with Steven Wolfe Pereira
Steven Wolfe Pereira discusses IPOs, market trends, AI developments, big tech governance, and startup challenges with Evan Epstein. The conversation touches on AI startup governance, boardroom accountability, and the emerging "agentic econ…
- Teresa Briggs: Audit Committees, AI, and the Evolving Role of Corporate Directors.
Teresa Briggs shares her career path, insights on audit committees, and the evolving role of corporate directors, including discussions on AI, ESG, and geopolitical changes. She serves on the boards of DocuSign, ServiceNow, Snowflake, and…
- Jonathan Foster: On Boards and the Playbook for Modern Governance
Jonathan Foster, author of "On Boards: The Modern Playbook for Corporate Governance," shares insights on governance structures, the influence of AI, shareholder activism, and corporate restructuring. He emphasizes the importance of a diver…
- Larry Cunningham: From John Weinberg’s 1948 Thesis, Delaware's Challenge, to the Modern Boardroom
Larry Cunningham discusses the history of corporate governance, referencing John Weinberg's thesis and historical debates. He addresses Delaware's current corporate law challenges, including competition from other states and the impact of…
- Tina Rosenfeld: Independent Directors, Board Diversity, and Governance in Chile
Tina Rosenfeld discusses her experience with corporate governance in Chile, focusing on independent directors, board diversity, and challenges in family-owned businesses and startups. The conversation also touches on board evaluations, inf…
- Steven Wolfe Pereira: How Can You Govern Something That You Don't Understand?
Steven Wolfe Pereira discusses how boards can govern AI, detailing the market explosion, the forces behind AI (compute, data, algorithms, robotics), and recommendations for directors. The episode touches on AI tools, governance challenges,…
- Erik Gerding (Freshfields): Governance, Regulation, and Risk in a Global Business Environment
Erik Gerding, former SEC Director, joins Evan Epstein to discuss governance, regulation, and risk in global business. Topics include foreign private issuers, AI and its regulation by the SEC, FTC, and DOJ, the crypto regulatory landscape,…
- Jack Lazar: A Silicon Valley Journey from Finance to the Boardroom
Jack Lazar shares his extensive Silicon Valley experience, detailing his transition from finance and executive roles to board service. The discussion covers IPO landscape, founder dynamics, shareholder activism, and the future of AI and se…
- Walker Newell & Lenin Lopez (Woodruff & Sawyer): Navigating D&O Risk, Delaware Exit, and Boardroom Litigation
Walker Newell and Lenin Lopez join Evan Epstein on Boardroom Governance to discuss navigating Directors & Officers (D&O) risk, Delaware corporate law, and boardroom litigation. They cover D&O insurance, the Delaware Exit, trends in securit…
- Celebrating 5 Years of the Boardroom Governance Podcast & Newsletter
This episode celebrates the 5th anniversary of the Boardroom Governance Podcast and Newsletter. Host Evan Epstein reflects on the origins of the podcast and newsletter, key lessons from over 175 episodes, the Boardroom Governance Summit, a…
- Karen Hao: Author of Empire of AI on Why "Scale at All Costs" is Not Leading Us to a Good Place
Karen Hao, author of "Empire of AI," joins Evan Epstein to discuss OpenAI's trajectory, the concept of AI empires, and the potential erosion of democracy. They also cover ethical AI development, the geopolitics of AI, and the role of open…
- Michal Lev-Ram: On the Intersecting Worlds of Tech, Culture, and Politics in Silicon Valley
Michal Lev-Ram, a Silicon Valley journalist, shares her origin story, experiences at Business 2.0 and Fortune Magazine, and discusses the current state of tech, particularly AI, and its implications. She also touches on the politicization…
- Alex Edmans: How Board Members Can Challenge Bias and Think More Critically
Professor Alex Edmans joins Evan Epstein to discuss his work on corporate governance, including challenging bias, binary thinking, and dissent in the boardroom. They also cover his books, the shareholder and stakeholder debate, ESG, divers…
- Rick Horvath (Dechert): What Corporate Directors Need to Know About Delaware's SB 21
Rick Horvath, a partner at Dechert LLP, discusses Delaware's SB 21 with Evan Epstein. The conversation covers the rationale behind the legislation, changes to controlled stockholder transactions and the definition of a controller, and modi…
- Roy Shapira: Europe’s Corporate Sustainability Directive and Its Impact on U.S. Board Oversight Duties
Roy Shapira, a law professor at Reichman University, discusses the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) and its impact on US board oversight duties. The episode covers the directive's extraterritorial reach, complianc…
- Robin Feldman: On the Evolution and Regulation of AI
Robin Feldman discusses the critical role of AI governance for boards, advising them to seek regular updates, document oversight, and utilize a skeptical red team. She touches on AI ethics, antitrust concerns, geopolitical competition, and…
- Amy Rojik (BDO Center for Corporate Governance): From Audit Quality to Governance Strategy
Amy Rojik, managing partner of corporate governance at BDO USA, joins Evan Epstein to discuss her career path and various aspects of corporate governance. Topics include AI governance, ESG, CEO succession and compensation, evolving board s…
- Emily Melton: Mechanics of Venture Investing, the Age of AI, and Implications for Boards
Emily Melton, co-founder of Threshold Ventures, shares her journey in venture capital, the investment thesis and mechanics of her firm, and insights on navigating boardroom dynamics, conflicts of interest, and the role of independent direc…
- Joe Hurd: Governance in Times of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity)
Joe Hurd details his career journey, from law and Silicon Valley roles to venture capital and board directorships. He examines the distinctions between good and great directors, compares US and UK governance, and discusses the influence of…
- Jorge Titinger: Leadership, Governance, and the Erosion of Trust
Jorge Titinger shares insights on his executive career, diverse board experiences, and perspectives on the backlash against ESG/DEI initiatives. He also touches upon the influence of AI on business and boards, and the changing nature of tr…
- David Chun (CEO, Equilar): The Boardroom Diversity Backlash—A Shifting Pendulum
David Chun, CEO of Equilar, talks about the current state of boardroom diversity, including the recent gender diversity index. The conversation also covers AI's role in governance, executive compensation trends, the backlash against ESG an…
- Rick Alexander: On the Rise of PBCs in the AI Industry and Firm-Specific vs. Diversified Investor Duties
Rick Alexander, CEO of Shareholder Commons, joins Evan Epstein to discuss Public Benefit Corporations (PBCs), their recent surge in the AI industry, and the OpenAI controversy. They also cover dual-class share structures, shareholder activ…
- Jonathan Goodman (Deloitte): Governing Strategy
Jonathan Goodman, Vice Chair at Deloitte Canada, shares his journey from journalism to consulting, emphasizing the board's role in shaping strategy through thoughtful questions. He highlights geopolitics, technological shifts, and talent a…
- Jeff Thomas (Nasdaq): The State of Public Markets in 2025
Jeff Thomas, EVP at Nasdaq, discusses the state of public markets in 2025, covering IPO trends, the impact of a new US administration, board priorities for IPOs, ESG and DEI backlash, global markets, the debate on staying private versus go…
- Nora Denzel: Technology Leadership in the Boardroom
Nora Denzel joins Evan Epstein to discuss technology leadership on boards. The conversation covers the board's role in overseeing technology and cybersecurity, the implications of AI, trust in the age of AI, technology ROI, board compositi…
- Joe Grundfest: Reflecting on 2024 and What’s Next for Business and Governance
Joe Grundfest and Evan Epstein discuss the future of the SEC, crypto regulation, ESG and DEI, Silicon Valley
- Ben Joseloff: The Board's Guide to CFIUS and Evolving National Security Reviews
Ben Joseloff discusses the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), including its origins, reforms through FIRRMA, and its role in reviewing transactions involving critical technologies, infrastructure, and sensitive d…
- David Berger: Ending the One-Size-Fits-All Model of Corporate Governance
David Berger, President of the American College of Governance Counsel, joins Evan Epstein to discuss corporate governance. They cover regulatory shifts, digital assets, AI ethics, Public Benefit Corporations, and state charter competition.