All sessions will take place at Stanford Law School and the surrounding buildings and outdoor areas.
Topics and times are subject to change.
Conference Add-on Activities Registration and Breakast
Breakfast Fireside Chat
Join John Donahoe, Jaquish & Kenninger Director and Chair of Athletics at Stanford University, for a discussion to kick off the morning.
Option 1: Golf at Stanford Golf Course
Play nine holes at the iconic Stanford Golf Course alongside other Directors’ College participants and select VIP guests. Because the course is not open to the public, this is a rare opportunity to experience a true Stanford tradition and a truly unique networking experience.
Option 2: Art Tour and Wine Tasting
Enjoy a private, docent-led tour of Cantor Arts Center, one of Stanford’s cultural landmarks. The Cantor’s collection spans over 5,000 years and includes more than 42,000 works of art from around the globe, including one of the world’s largest collections of sculptures by Auguste Rodin. Following the tour, guests will participate in a curated wine tasting and […]
Option 3: Directors’ College 101
Designed for new directors, but open to all, Directors’ College 101 includes a primer on fiduciary duties, a corporate governance simulation, and a workshop on business leadership in the age of AI. Each session is adapted from popular Stanford University courses.
Welcome Cocktail Reception
Dinner and Opening Keynote
Join Vlad Tenev, Co-Founder and CEO of Robinhood, in conversation with Dan Gallagher, Chief Legal, Compliance, and Corporate Affairs Officer at Robinhood and former SEC Commissioner
Registration Begins and Breakfast Available
Breakfast and Breakfast Keynote
Stanford Faculty Series
Participants choose from one of four Stanford faculty-led sessions on topics including AI, geopolitics, leadership, and policy strategy. Sessions are recorded and offered again later in the day.
The Art of Possible with Generative AI
Generative AI is rapidly expanding what is possible across knowledge work, from automating routine tasks to enabling new forms of creativity and decision-making. This session will provide a clear, accessible overview of how these systems work and where they are headed, while exploring practical use cases, emerging capabilities like AI agents, and key limitations and risks shaping their real-world impact.
What We Know From 30 Years of Psychological Experimentation in Virtual Reality
Virtual reality has been studied by psychologists for over three decades, with rapid advances in both research and adoption in recent years. This session will examine what rigorous, replicated research tells us about where VR is most effective, where its limitations lie, and how organizations can think strategically about its use.
Sustainable Urban Futures
Urban growth and development continue to drive innovation while introducing complex environmental, economic, and social challenges. This session will explore how the built environment impacts human wellbeing and long-term value creation, with a focus on smart building design, affordable housing, and supply chain transparency, and the role of interdisciplinary strategies in building more resilient and sustainable systems.
Board Labs
Participants choose from one of our interactive breakout sessions, including a shareholder activism workshop, AI “jam session”, and case-based discussions on emerging issues. Sessions are offered again later in the day.
Data Strategy and Cybersecurity Oversight
As data becomes a critical enterprise asset and cyber risk a persistent board-level concern, directors play an essential role in overseeing both strategy and resilience. This session will examine how boards can guide data governance, support responsible innovation in AI and analytics, and provide effective oversight of cybersecurity risk, preparedness, and response, drawing on recent case studies and real-world examples.
Dexit: Incorporation Wars
As Delaware corporate law faces new scrutiny and evolving competition from other jurisdictions, boards are increasingly weighing where companies should be incorporated. This session will examine recent developments in Delaware law and explore the strategic considerations, risks, and potential benefits of reincorporating elsewhere.
Shareholder Activism: Landscape and Playbook
This session will examine the current activism landscape and provide directors with a practical playbook for engagement, defense, and long-term value creation, informed by current trends and illustrative activist situations.
You’ve Been Served: Privilege and Litigation
Litigation risk and questions of privilege are a routine but high-stakes part of board oversight. This session will explore how directors can navigate attorney-client privilege, manage sensitive communications, and oversee litigation strategy effectively, informed by recent developments and practical boardroom scenarios.
Lunch and Lunch Keynote
David Ricks, Chairman and CEO of Eli Lilly, joins Alexis Krivkovich, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, for a conversation on leadership, innovation, and long-term value creation in a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry.
CEO Succession Simulation
The CEO Succession Simulation is an immersive, hands-on exercise that runs throughout Directors’ College. Participants will be placed in groups of 8–10, role-playing as a board grappling with a CEO succession decision amid an activist investor challenge. Guided by facilitators, participants will work through realistic case materials and advance their decision-making skills under pressure, simulating the complexities of real-world succession planning.
Networking + Bay Area Coffee Experience
Board Labs
Participants choose from one of our interactive breakout sessions, including a shareholder activism workshop, AI “jam session”, and case-based discussions on emerging issues.
Artificial Intelligence: Board Use and Governance
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how companies operate and compete, while introducing new governance, risk, and oversight challenges for boards. This session will explore how directors can effectively oversee AI strategy and deployment, while also leveraging AI in their own work, with a focus on governance frameworks, ethical considerations, and hands-on exercises using leading AI tools.
Board Composition in 2026: Strategy, Disclosure, and Outcomes
Board composition remains a central driver of governance effectiveness and long-term performance, amid evolving investor expectations and disclosure requirements. This session will examine how boards can align composition with strategy, approach recruitment, refreshment, and ongoing director training, and navigate shifting regulatory and market pressures while assessing whether board structure is delivering meaningful outcomes.
Geopolitical Shock Scenarios: Board Readiness
From trade disruptions to armed conflict and shifting regulatory regimes, geopolitical shocks can have immediate and far-reaching impacts on business. This session will explore how boards can prepare for and respond to these scenarios, with a focus on resilience planning, crisis decision-making, and effective oversight in periods of uncertainty.
Strategic M&A Landscape and Strategies
In an environment shaped by market uncertainty, regulatory scrutiny, and evolving capital dynamics, boards play a critical role in overseeing M&A strategy. This session will explore the current deal landscape and provide directors with practical guidance on evaluating opportunities, managing risk, and supporting successful transactions from diligence through integration.
Stanford Faculty Series Continued
Participants choose from one of four Stanford faculty-led sessions on topics including AI, geopolitics, leadership, and policy strategy.
Connect, Create, Collaborate
Effective communication and collaboration are essential to high-performing boards and leadership teams, particularly in moments of uncertainty and change. Drawing on principles from improvisation, this interactive session will explore how directors can build trust, listen more effectively, and foster more dynamic, creative, and productive engagement in the boardroom.
How to Have Better Political Conversations
In an era of increasing polarization, effective communication across differences is both more difficult and more essential for leaders. This session will draw on cutting-edge social science research to provide practical strategies for engaging in challenging conversations, reducing conflict, and communicating more persuasively with a wide range of stakeholders.
Accounting 101: Fundamentals for Directors
Dinner and Dinner Keynote
Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer at OpenAI, will share perspectives from the forefront of artificial intelligence, including how rapidly advancing technologies are reshaping business models, governance, and global competition.
Registration Begins and Breakfast Available
Breakfast and Breakfast Keynote
David Epstein, bestselling author of multiple books including Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, will share insights from his forthcoming book Inside the Box, which challenges the assumption that more freedom and more resources always lead to better outcomes.
Board Leadership Insights from PwC and Stanford Women on Boards
Effective board leadership is increasingly central to company performance, resilience, and long-term value creation. Drawing on new research from PwC and Stanford Women on Boards, this session will explore the attributes and practices of high-performing boards, common leadership pitfalls, and how directors can strengthen board dynamics, oversight, and strategic impact in a rapidly evolving environment.
Networking + Bay Area Bakery Experience
Board Labs
Participants choose from one of our interactive breakout sessions, including a shareholder activism workshop, AI “jam session”, and case-based discussions on emerging issues. Sessions are offered again later in the day.
Effective Board Leadership Breakout
Building on the findings from PwC and Stanford Women on Boards, this interactive breakout will give directors the opportunity to engage more deeply with the research and apply it to real-world boardroom dynamics. Participants will explore practical approaches to strengthening board leadership, enhancing effectiveness, and addressing common challenges through discussion and peer exchange.
Deepfakes, Leaks, and Misinformation
The rapid spread of synthetic media, unauthorized disclosures, and online misinformation presents new and complex challenges for corporate leadership and boards. This session will explore how directors can oversee reputational risk, crisis response, and information integrity, with a focus on emerging threats that can impact markets, stakeholders, and corporate trust.
DC and the Regulators
Regulatory developments continue to shape the risk and opportunity landscape for companies across industries. This session, featuring a panel of former regulators, will provide directors with insight into evolving regulatory priorities, enforcement trends, and how boards can effectively oversee management’s approach to navigating regulatory risk and opportunity.
Executive Compensation
Executive compensation remains a focal point for boards, investors, and regulators, as expectations around performance alignment and transparency continue to evolve. This session will explore current trends, compensation frameworks, and leading practices to help directors design and oversee programs that incentivize long-term value creation and withstand external scrutiny.
Lunch and CEO Succession Debrief
Building on yesterday’s Board deliberations in the CEO simulation, Kevin Steinberg, Chairman of Ascent, and team share outcomes and key learnings. The plenary discussion will focus not only on the Boards’ decisions and CEO selections, but also on group dynamics and the decision-making process.
Board Labs
Participants choose from one of our interactive breakout sessions, including a shareholder activism workshop, AI “jam session”, and case-based discussions on emerging issues.
Audit Committee Lab
The audit committee plays a central role in overseeing financial reporting, internal controls, and risk management in an increasingly complex environment. This interactive lab will guide participants through a live case study led by experienced practitioners, offering hands-on insight into key judgment calls and oversight challenges faced in the boardroom.
Government Affairs and Corporate Influence
Government policy continues to shape the operating environment for companies, creating both risks and opportunities that require thoughtful board oversight. This session will explore how directors can support productive, value-creating engagement with government stakeholders, with a focus on strategy, governance, and alignment with long-term business objectives.
Reporting and Compliance in the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence is beginning to transform how companies approach reporting and compliance, creating opportunities for greater efficiency, accuracy, and insight. This session will explore how AI tools can support compliance functions and disclosure processes, as well as the oversight considerations for boards as these technologies are adopted.
Closing Keynote Conversation
Amy Weaver, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Relief and former President and Chief Financial Officer of Salesforce, joins Lisa Edwards, Rock Center Fellow and experienced public company board director, for a conversation on leadership, governance, and navigating complexity at scale.
