Beyond Minutes: Reimagining the Board Secretary in the Age of AI

Is the board secretary of today prepared for the boardroom of tomorrow?

In this episode of The Better Boards podcast series, hosted by Dr Sabine Dembkowski, Moya Heyhurst returns to explore how artificial intelligence is not just changing how company secretaries work—it’s challenging them to reimagine their purpose altogether.

Moya is a fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute with over 25 years of corporate governance experience across sectors including mining, financial services, and insurance. She also contributes to the Centre for AI in Board Effectiveness, where she works to advance the profession’s role in shaping the future of board governance.

With the rise of AI, increasingly complex governance expectations, and growing demands for strategic insight, the role of the board secretary is at a turning point. This episode explores what board secretaries must do to remain central to board effectiveness in a digital age.

“If you define yourself as just arranging meetings and writing minutes, then this is a call to arms.”

Board secretaries are no longer just record keepers. Yet many still define their role through meeting logistics and minutes. Moya challenges that view head-on.

She explains that AI has already entered the boardroom—directors are using it, companies are investing in it, and board secretaries now sit at a crucial intersection between governance tradition and digital transformation. Those who don’t evolve risk becoming obsolete.

“AI can either destroy your world or make it better. It’s how you decide to use it.”

Much of the early AI conversation focused on fear: Is it safe? Can we trust it? Now, the tone is different. AI is widely used across organisations to analyse data, unlock competitive advantage, and streamline workflows.

Board secretaries are positioned in the centre of this shift. While AI can handle routine tasks—like drafting minutes or scheduling meetings—the real opportunity lies in using AI to enhance insight, judgment, and integration within the governance framework.

“Company secretaries know where everything is—and they know the risks of what’s at their fingertips.”

Historically, the board secretary was the right hand of the CEO and Chair. Over time, the role has slipped further down the organisational chart—yet the value hasn’t disappeared.

In the best board evaluations, Moya has seen the difference a great board secretary can make. Those who demonstrate strategic thinking, not just compliance skills, are becoming essential to board effectiveness.

“If board secretaries don’t step forward, someone else will.”

As businesses evolve, so too must governance professionals. The demand is growing for roles that offer governance intelligence—the ability to connect insight, regulation, and strategy into actionable board support.

Legal, strategy, and transformation teams are already stepping into this space—not because they’re taking over, but because the board needs that kind of support. If company secretaries don’t evolve their posture, the opportunity will pass.

“We need to surface the role of the board secretary to unlock the value already inside organisations.”

Many board secretaries are trained to listen, to influence quietly, and to speak only when a problem arises. But that must change.

Moya urges board secretaries to step out of the shadows—not with noise, but with relevance. By asking questions, connecting people, and navigating risks, secretaries can reposition themselves as indispensable enablers of board effectiveness.

“Company secretaries don’t always need to know how to do something—they need to know where the information lies and how to connect it.”

For those unsure of how to evolve, Moya offers clear advice: start small and stay curious. Use the AI already embedded in governance tools. Ask questions. Seek peers. Leverage the organisation’s existing data and people.

The three top takeaways for effective boards from our conversation are:

• This is not a task shift—it’s a role shift. Boards don’t need more execution. They need interpretation, integration, and insight. The board secretary’s purpose must evolve in step.
• Step forward—or others will. Legal and strategy teams are already meeting the board’s need for governance intelligence. The opportunity remains, but the window is narrowing.
• The profession is ready—if it’s intentional. Board secretaries must become digitally fluent, rethink governance design, and reposition themselves as strategic enablers of board effectiveness.

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