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Grit in the Boardroom - Executive Interviews on Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Grit in the Boardroom - Executive Interviews on Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Erika Eliasson-Norris 12 episodes Nov 4, 2026
Grit in the Boardroom is a bi-weekly podcast that explores how leaders handle corporate scandals and high-stakes strategy. Host Erika Eliasson-Norris, a governance expert, interviews executives and directors about real-world boardroom decisions, risk management, and resilience. The show features candid discussions on leadership, ethics, and corporate governance through case studies and turnaround stories.
Episodes
On Our Watch: Chris Sherwood on Boardroom Decisions and the Turnaround of a 200-Year-Old Charity
When Chris’s appointment was leaked to the press before he'd even started, one newspaper called him a "colourful bachelor". Within a month, the regulator had issued its first ever official warning to his charity. And the board he inherited hadn't reformed its governance since 1974.
In this episode of Grit in the Boardroom, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, sits down with Chris She
The Opportunity Committee: Cassandra Crowley on Risk, Culture, and the Long Shadow of the Board
Recorded in New Zealand during the Institute of Directors' IoD Leadership Conference 2026 in Wellington, this conversation with Cassandra Crowley brings Grit in the Boardroom's special series of executive interviews from New Zealand to a close.
Erika Eliasson-Norris sits down with Cassandra Crowley, a lawyer, accountant and seasoned chair who, as Erika puts it, has permission to offend both profe
Persuasion in the Boardroom: Authority, Integrity and the Words to Avoid
Recorded in New Zealand at the IoD Leadership Conference in Wellington, this episode is another in Grit in the Boardroom's New Zealand series, part of the show's international run of executive interviews with the country's most respected business leaders.
In this director dialogue, Erika Eliasson-Norris sits down with Tony Carter: Chair of Datacom and MyFoodBag, a director of The Warehouse Group,
From Stand-up to the C-Suite: Cancer, Comedy, and the Grit to Weave People Together
Recorded in New Zealand during the IoD Leadership Conference 2026 in Wellington, this episode continues Grit in the Boardroom's international run of executive interviews with another extraordinary leader.
In this candid conversation, Erika Eliasson-Norris sits down with David Downs: CEO of Education New Zealand, former stand-up comedian, cancer survivor, and self-described "genetically modified o
The Challenger Director: Ultra Marathons, Boardroom Decisions, and the Grit to Never Give Up
Recorded in New Zealand during the IoD Leadership Conference 2026 in Wellington, this episode brings Erika Eliasson-Norris's executive interviews to an international audience for the first time, as part of Grit in the Boardroom.
In this director dialogue, Erika sits down with Ben Kepes, a professional director, technology analyst, entrepreneur, and investor, for a masterclass in leadership and C-
From the Envelope to the Boardroom: Inclusivity, Business Resilience and the Leadership Decisions Behind Company Culture Change
Real leadership is not taught overnight. It is what happens when you see your own name in the redundancy envelope, deliver the speech anyway, and then ask: who is the safety net for the person at the top?
In this episode of Grit in the Boardroom, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, sits down with Dr Heather Melville OBE for one of the most powerful executive interviews on what
Honour the Agenda: Board Effectiveness, Trust and the Long Game
Trust isn’t a nice-to-have. It is an operating system for leadership decisions, boardroom decisions, and business resilience under real pressure. In this conversation, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, speaks with Douglas R. Conant, former CEO of Campbell Soup Company, and one of the most respected voices in strategic decision making and corporate governance today. This is one of th
Building from Nothing: Boardroom Decisions, Governance and the Courage to Lead Differently
The strongest leadership is not inherited. It is built from nothing, in the moments where there is no precedent, no rulebook, and no culture yet written.
In this episode of Grit in the Boardroom, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, sits down with Juergen Maier CBE for an in depth executive interview on leadership decisions, institutional building, and what it truly takes to lea
Leading Under Pressure: Trust, Boardroom Decisions and the Courage to Speak Up
The strongest leadership is not built in comfort. It is forged in the moments where there is no playbook, no precedent, and no time to wait.
In this episode of Grit in the Boardroom, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, sits down with Dr. I. Stephanie Boyce CBE FKC for one of the most compelling executive interviews on leaders
Boardroom Decisions Under Pressure: Chair Perspectives on Governance, Risk and Board Effectiveness
The best boards do not just make decisions. They create the conditions
for strategic decision making, stronger challenge, and more effective
implementation.
In this episode of Grit in the Boardroom, Erika Eliasson-Norris,
CEO of Beyond Governance, sits down with Patrick Dunne OBE for one of the sharpest executive interviews with one of the UK’s leading voices on board effectiveness, corporate gov
Leadership Under Fire: Values, Belonging and Boardroom Decisions
The real test of leadership is not when everyone agrees with you. It is when your values are challenged, your corporate decision-making skills are scrutinised, and standing by your principles comes at a personal cost. In this episode, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, speaks with Professor Tariq Modood MBE, one of Britain's leading thinke
Governing Through Crisis: Risk Management, Resilience and the Future of Higher Education
Leaders who understand this will be the ones who get it right: governance is not just about oversight; it is about knowing when to challenge, when to intervene, and how to lead when the stakes are human as well as financial.
In this episode, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, speaks with Professor Sally Wheeler OBE, Vice Chancellor of Birkbeck, University of London. Sally is a disti
People-Centric Governance: How to Lead Boards Through Technology, Risk and Change
Leaders who understand this will be the ones who get it right: The boards that will define the next decade aren’t just governing platforms and processes; they are governing people.
In this episode, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, speaks with Nneka Abulokwe OBE, a governance and technology leader with extensive experience helping
How to Lead a Business Turnaround: Company Culture, Clarity, and Leadership Decisions That Last
We’re diving into one of the most dramatic turnaround stories in the industry that involved taking on a failing business and turning it into Agency of the Year in three years. That doesn't happen by accident -. it happens through culture, clarity, and the courage to make decisions nobody else wants to make.
In this episode, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, speaks with Chris Hirst
Purpose Over Performance: Building Leadership That Lasts Across Generations
Creating the scaffolding that outlasts any single leader is the result of purposeful, long-term leadership including the ability to build cultures, strategies, and successions that endure. Most organisations measure success by the quarter. But what happens when that short-termism becomes the biggest threat to long-term survival?
In this episode, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, s
Judgement Matters More Than Data in the Boardroom: Corporate Governance and Decision Making at the Highest Level
Most boardroom decisions don’t fail because of bad data; they fail because of poor strategic decision-making. In this episode, Erika Eliasson-Norris, CEO of Beyond Governance, speaks with Sir Andrew Likierman, one of the UK’s leading voices on corporate governance and leadership. Together, they explore why mergers fail, how boards can strengthen risk management, and what separates effective from i
From Personal Networks to the C-Suite: What Aspiring Directors Should Know About Board Effectiveness and Future Leadership Skills
Are you presenting yourself strategically to the people who will let you sit in the boardroom? Networking, communication, and continuous self-reinvention during company culture change is critical to success in senior leadership and non-executive director roles.
Host Erika Eliasson Norris – CEO of Beyond Governance and Governance Assessor to the UK’s Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry – sits down fo
From the Dot-Com Boom to the AI Era: Why Rapid Innovation is Key to Business Resilience
What if innovation wasn’t a side project, but a tool your teams could use every day to make better decisions, solve problems faster, and drive growth?
With board roles at British Airways, Chanel, and the British Chambers of Commerce, guest Baroness Martha Lane Fox brings sharp chair perspectives and grounded C-suite insights into what really happens in high-stakes boardrooms. From the dot-com boo
Execution Over Ego: The Boardroom Decisions That Make-or-Break Governance
Drawing on decades of experience advising organisations including General Electric, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo and Nike, Ram Charan knows that the most important job of any board is selecting, coaching and, when necessary, replacing the chief executive officer (CEO). The truth is that boardroom decisions rarely fail because of a lack of intelligence. They fail because of hesitation and ego, and they d
Ethicability: The Leadership Lever That Transforms Company Culture
How to avoid corporate scandals, improve board effectiveness, and foster company culture change that drives business resilience and growth under pressure is the focus of this first episode of Grit in the Boardroom. Host Erika Eliasson-Norris - CEO of Beyond Governance and Governance Assessor to the UK’s Post Offic
Poor Boardroom Decisions: What the Wirecard Board Failed to Hear
Former FinTech general counsel and whistleblower behind the Wirecard scandal, Pav Gill, joins Grit in the Boardroom to explain how to navigate the intimidating reality of corporate scandal and how to avoid being complicit. Host Erika Eliasson-Norris - CEO of Beyond Governance and Governance Assessor to the UK’s Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry - talks to Pav about what governing boards can learn fr
Trailer - Grit in the Boardroom
Expect breakdowns of leadership decisions, open director dialogue, and governance perspectives from across industries on Grit in the Boardroom. Bi-weekly episodes of Grit in the Boardroom bring together voices from across leadership, including executives, chairs, and directors, who have stood on the edge of critical calls, felt the weight of risk, and lived with the outcomes.
Host Erika Eliass
