While the complete impact of the BP oil spill is yet to be determined, we can be certain of one thing – the disaster will be a game-changer for the largest industry on the planet. Change in the oil and gas industry will be manifested in many ways – commercially, technically, and most assuredly, from regulators. Yet, the most significant change may come in the executive profile of those who lead oil and gas companies.

The first half of 2010 has witnessed a fundamental shift in the global hedge fund industry as it enters a period of significant growth set against economic recovery and increasing scrutiny from regulators and institutional investors. The recent momentum has carried industry assets across the US$1.5 trillion mark, with sentiment high for continued growth. The resurgence can be attributed largely to strong performance in 2009, but net inflows have also steadily increased. Further testament to the industry’s dramatic rebound can be seen in the increasing number of hedge fund managers who are now closing their funds to new investors.

Shared services, with a long track record of success and new momentum following the recession, is rapidly evolving. To find out how – and what it takes to lead shared services organizations on the journey – we interviewed 30 outstanding practitioners. What they told us can help senior executives see what kind of leaders they need to capture the full business value of shared services.

Recent high-profile business failures have prompted calls for tougher corporate governance at a time when public distrust of leaders – political, religious and corporate – has reached alarming levels. Yet boards must also support and empower their CEOs and executive teams to achieve the best outcomes. The future role played by corporate chairmen will be crucial to resolve this paradox and rebuild public trust. Interviews recently conducted by the UK Board Practice with over fifty chairmen, CEOs and thought leaders, resulted in the report Purposeful Partners, the changing role of 21st Century Chairmen. It suggests that chairmanship is emerging as a powerful and distinctive form of business leadership with its own unique skill set, rather than a ‘downshift CEO’ position. This has major implications for the ways in which companies manage their boards and recruit, evaluate and compensate their future chairmen.

This report not only contains our observations and conclusions about the future of the chairman role but also open and frank comments from our contributors. One such contributor commented "The modern role of chairmen is, increasingly, to provide air cover and partnering to the CEOs."

For companies that must weave high-quality luxury products, brand heritage and appealing style into the customer’s sense of identity – and do so profitably – finding the right design leaders is a real challenge.

From roots in compliance and equal opportunity, diversity has emerged as a critical business issue for leading companies. They are aggressively seeking to harness its business relevancy by creating a culture of inclusion where the diversity of ideas shows up in better performance.

After the 2002 passage of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) by Congress, a shock wave rumbled through the independent school, college, university and non-profit worlds. Many wondered how the new demands for operational transparency, record-keeping, audit committee independence and whistle-blower protection would affect their institutions.

Ten Myths that Fuel Failure

The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Croatia all fall down the ranking on the talent map forecast for 2012. But despite difficult conditions, some of the emerging market countries in this region are catching up or are close to the developed nations in western Europe on a number of indicators.