‘Digital leadership starts in the board’: University of Antwerp – Antwerp Management School

ICT today reaches into all corners of the organisation. That means that, at the very highest levels, digital can no longer only be the responsibility of the CIO. In order to manage risk, make strategic decisions, and create successful business models in a disruptive world, IT must be embedded in the Board.

But what does that look like? What decisions should be considered ‘executive’ versus ‘non-executive’? What counts as ‘governance’ rather than ‘management’? While more and more Boards recognise the need for IT expertise in the boardroom, turning increased digital competence into value for the organisation and its stakeholders remains a challenge.

An academic paper by the University of Antwerp’s Management School took on the different roles of the board of directors in terms of governing digital technology. It lays out the different ‘control’ and ‘service’ areas in which the Board should act, including some initial questions the organisation and Board can review, to ensure that digital is truly embedded in the Board, where it is needed.

Among the research findings:

• “Classic governance control and service roles all have a digital-related component.
• While a digital savvy board is the cornerstone of board involvement in governing digital technology, specific board structures and activities can enhance board involvement in digital matters.”

However, it is all too easy and common for the Board to place responsibility for all ICT issues in the lap of the CIO, while the IT department continues to be viewed as ‘support’. Yet, outside, digital technology is fundamentally changing the company’s markets. That means IT needs to be an embedded part of discussions on everything from business models, to governance and risk evaluation. And it needs to be given the same weight in the boardroom as, for instance, financial and legal issues.

‘50 Critical questions to ask about digitalisation’

So where do you start?

Beltug has already put together a presentation template that you can use to bring IT security to your Board in an effective way. The tool (available after log in) covers security risks, security by design, incidents & crisis simulation, projects & budget, GDPR & privacy.

Now, cooperation initiative Fastfwd has brought together a number of digital leaders to draft the ‘50 critical questions to ask about digitalisation’. You can use them to create positive impact on the Board to pay sufficient attention to IT and digitisation within your company, and make sure technology and digitalisation are on the Board’s agenda.

Questions cover:

• Advice and counsel
• Digital maturity of the organisation
• Talent/People
• Cloud
• Data
• Networking, lobbying, legitimating and communication
• Strategic participation
• Challenges/opportunities from the external environment
• Innovation
• Behavioural control
• Cybersecurity
• Risk management
• Compliance
• Output control
• Disclosure of security & privacy breaches

The list was created with the insights of digital leaders:

• Jocelyn Darbroudi, CIO Securex
• Steven De Haes, Dean Antwerp Management School
• Sebastien Deleersnyder, CTO Toreon
• Stefan Dierckx, CEO ProjectiveGroup
• Sabine Everaet, Board member ING
• Danielle Jacobs, CEO Beltug
• Abigail Levrau, Member Guberna Management Committee