What Boards are elevating in 2025
Assurance‑grade reporting across all periodic corporate reports
Boards expect verification of key reports and audit‑ready sustainability disclosures. Leaders must integrate finance, risk and sustainability data into one narrative with clear controls and a plan to close gaps. This is central to ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.
Signals boards look for
- A single source of truth for operating, risk and sustainability metrics
- Documented verification and assurance processes for periodic reporting
- A forward timetable for controls uplift, not just compliance at year-end
Stakeholder engagement as governance, not PR
Stakeholder relationships are a governance discipline. Boards want structured engagement that links to strategy, risk appetite and capital allocation. This is a consistent theme within ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.
Signals boards look for
- A mapped set of stakeholders and how insights flow to the board
- Evidence that engagement changed decisions or priorities
- Clear disclosure on methods, frequency and outcomes of engagement
Risk mastery across cyber, operations and climate
Board risk agendas have widened. Cyber readiness, operational resilience, business continuity, and climate risk are front of mind. Executives are expected to own quantified scenarios, run response exercises, and strengthen supplier and data chain controls. Risk mastery sits at the heart of ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.
Signals boards look for
- Tested crisis and continuity plans with defined decision rights
- Incident playbooks for cyber and data loss, with disclosure pathways
- Climate scenarios that inform investment and procurement choices
DEI and workforce transparency linked to performance
Public gender pay gap reporting has lifted scrutiny. Boards want credible action plans, pipeline data, and measurable improvements. Progress on DEI is now part of ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.
Signals boards look for
- Board and executive targets supported by pipeline data and actions
- Pay equity analysis with remediation plans and timeframes
- Hiring and development that broaden the leadership bench
Remuneration aligned to long‑term, risk‑aware value creation
Investor scrutiny of pay remains strong. Boards seek remuneration frameworks that drive long‑term performance, reflect risk outcomes and avoid windfalls. Clear explanations of gateways, deferral, and malus or clawback are expected. This clarity in pay design matches ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.
Signals boards look for
- Balanced scorecards weighting strategy delivery, culture, risk and returns
- Use of gateways, deferral and post‑vesting holding to align incentives
- Transparent rationale for any adjustments
AI governance and privacy by design
AI adoption is increasing along with community expectations. Boards want a clear AI risk framework covering privacy, model risk, bias, IP and supplier controls. Thoughtful adoption and strong oversight are now part of ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.
Signals boards look for
- An inventory of AI use cases and their risk ratings
- Privacy impact assessments and guardrails for high‑risk use
- A cross‑functional AI governance forum that reports to the board
What this means for C‑suite candidates
Boards want evidence, not assertions. The following artefacts strengthen a candidacy and align with ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.
- Reporting and assurance. Examples of non‑financial reporting you have verified, and the control environment you built or improved.
- Stakeholder changes to strategy. A concise case showing how engagement with investors, regulators, employees, or customers reshaped a decision.
- Resilience in action. A short debrief of a major incident response you led, the lessons learned, and the control changes since.
- DEI with outcomes. Pipeline metrics, pay equity actions, and the impact on retention, safety, or innovation.
- Pay design you can defend. How your measures align with value creation over multiple years, including risk outcomes.
- AI and data leadership. An AI or data initiative with measurable benefits and a clear privacy and ethics framework.
Succession planning that future‑proofs the top team
Make succession a standing board process
Treat succession as continuous. Maintain a live skills matrix for the board and the C‑suite. Refresh it after strategy shifts, acquisitions, divestments, or major incidents. These disciplines reflect ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.
Build depth charts and time‑based scenarios
Map successors for CEO, CFO, COO, CRO, CISO, and other critical roles. Plan for immediate, 90‑day, and 12‑month scenarios. Pair each with targeted development and external market mapping where the bench is thin.
Broaden and accelerate the pipeline
Address bottlenecks in COO, CFO, and GM roles that feed CEO succession. Use rotations, P&L ownership, and crisis simulations to build readiness. Set diversity goals for the pipeline, not just destination roles.
Lift leadership capability where it matters now
Priorities for 2025 include financial stewardship with sustainability reporting competence, cyber and operational resilience, supply chain risk, AI governance, and communications under scrutiny. Build these into leadership development with measurable milestones.
Have interim options ready
Unexpected departures happen. Maintain access to interim executives and chairs who can stabilise operations while a permanent search is run. This practical readiness aligns with ASX board expectations for C‑suite executives.