From Gatekeeper to Guide: 
How Governance Professionals Are Shaping the Boardrooms of Tomorrow

Governance professionals are no longer the quiet scribes in the corner. Today, they are critical voices at the heart of boardroom decision-making. In this episode, Dr Sabine Dembkowski speaks with Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance and author of The Secret Diary of a Company Secretary, to explore how the role has evolved and why it remains misunderstood.


Through candid reflections and practical examples, Erika unpacks the challenges governance professionals face behind the scenes – from ethical tensions to boardroom politics – and shares how the role is changing as boards come under growing scrutiny.

“We’ve moved from record-keeping to future-shaping.”

In the last 10 years, Erika notes that governance professionals have moved from the edges to a more central role in organisations. She says they are now architects of organisational resilience, helping to anticipate regulatory changes, manage complex stakeholder expectations, and serve as the ethical compass of the organisation.

“It isn’t necessarily [due to] an increase in technical skill. I think that it is an increase, if not already there, in other softer skills.”

Erika credits the change in role for governance professionals to individuals in the role having a better understanding of their value, what they bring to the table, and how they can demonstrate that value in ways that other stakeholders in the boardroom and outside can understand and appreciate. By building a perception of value and building trust, governance professionals can more easily step into an advisory role.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is another significant factor in governance success. Erika notes that governance professionals often must work in shifting and grey areas, so building EQ skills helps those in governance express ethical standards, create buy-in, and showcase integrity. It also helps with building influence across the organisation and with the board.

“Organisations that do governance well avoid a lot of corporate scandals and disasters.”

Erika feels that the governance profession remains relatively unknown and underutilised by boards. Many have some form of governance policies or ethical guardrails, but few have a dedicated governance professional in place. Erika sees this as a huge opportunity, especially for firms and boards that wish to prevent unnecessary scandals, embarrassments, and PR snafus, which she feels all have their roots in governance issues.

“It’s a real moment for governance professionals to step out of the administrative duties, to hand them over to either technology or somebody else, and to step into that advisory role.”

As Erika sees the governance role evolving, she notes that rising technological assistance is creating more space for governance professionals to be strategic advisors. AI tools, for example, can now handle a great deal of the administrative load – building board packs, logging decisions, updating statutory registrars, and similar tasks. This frees up governance professionals to focus on the advisory issues where boards need the most support, contributing more to areas like ethics, risk foresight, analysing regulatory impacts, and ensuring shareholder alignment. Erika strongly feels that the more boards can fast-track this evolution, the more upside they can unlock within the governance role.

“A great governance advisor to a board can flex as and when necessary, whilst keeping that absolute, ethical values-driven compass. That means that they’ve got that North Star.”

As much as something might be right for one organisation, it would be wrong for another. Erika believes the best governance professionals can help firms clearly articulate why they are making certain decisions at specific moments – including communicating these decisions to stakeholders if needed. Governance leaders also continually think about downstream impacts of decisions and how to support decisions down the line, to demonstrate the strength of the board and the power of the organisation’s decision-making process.

“Governance with grit means holding the line so the organisation can hold its future.”

Erika advocates for governance with grit. In practical terms, this often means standing up to powerful CEOs or board members, refusing to sacrifice trust and transparency for expediency, and holding fast to key organisational values in times of crisis. It is about picking battles and understanding nuances, considering second-order impacts, preventing panic, and making it easier for boards to make sound decisions in challenging situations.

“The biggest myth or misconception with regards to a Company Secretary is that they just take the minutes.”

To Erika, if the governance role is being well done, there are governance fingerprints all over the organisation’s most significant decisions. This is often not visible outside of the boardroom, but bringing some of those stories to life has the potential to elevate the profile and impact of the profession.

Erika’s recent book, The Secret Diary of a Company Secretary, offers insights into the work of eight Company Secretaries at high-profile, listed firms. She reveals how they handle some of the most challenging governance issues in the profession and the impact these “hidden” decisions have on thousands and tens of thousands of stakeholders and investors around the globe. She also keeps the tone accessible and approachable, so that even those completely unaware of the true scope of governance potential can dive in and enjoy the stories.

“It’s an amazing time to be joining the governance profession.”

With all the changes in the governance world, Erika finds it a fascinating time for early-career professionals to join the space. She believes that new arrivals should become accustomed to discomfort and develop a strong ability to listen, a strategic mindset, and an advisory heart. Governance is not simply about keeping the wheels turning in an organisation. It’s about helping steer the whole vehicle and providing clarity, challenge, and calm, with relationship building far more important than rote memorisation of rules or tick-box note-taking.

The three top takeaways from our conversation are:

• In just a decade, governance professionals have gone from being minute takers to being trusted strategic partners, shaping deals, steering narratives, and helping boards navigate uncertainty with courage and clarity.
• You need to know what good looks like. Good governance today isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about giving boards the confidence to act decisively and ethically even when the path is unclear, turning governance into a genuine source of competitive advantage.
• Boards should treat governance not as brakes but as the steering wheel, and use it to navigate complexity with vision, integrity, and purpose. This way, they don’t just succeed – they leave a lasting legacy.

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