31st Annual Board of Directors Study (2004)

The 31st Annual Board of Directors Study, includes participation from over 1,000 directors from 14 nations; 32 percent of respondents are board chairman, 32 percent are CEOs, and 22 percent are presidents. 

This 31st edition marks the second year in which we report on the global trends and issues facing todays directors worldwide. Ongoing inclusion of sections covering Board of Directors in Europe and in Asia Pacific allows us to present a more comprehensive look at the ever-changing landscape of governance.   This year, we also have the benefit of comparison, looking back year over year analyzing progress and new challenges surfacing over the past twelve months. 

Key findings in the Study include:

•  Virtually all (99 percent) of the Americas respondents say their boards have complied with Sarbanes-Oxley at an average implementation cost of $5.1 million.  
•  In 2004, 93 percent of Americas respondents said their boards held regular sessions without the chief executive.  This has more than doubled since 2002, when it was reported that 41 percent met without the chief executive.
•  In the Americas, the average number of inside members decreased from four in 2003 to three this year, while the number of outside directors remained unchanged at eight.

Copies of this study are available for purchase to the general public. If you would like to purchase a copy of this study, please contact Korn/Ferry International in Brazil (contate-nos@kornferry.com).