Young Directors’ Network: Inside the boardroom - Crisis simulation

Presentation

Speaker(s): Ben Kepes
Date: 5:00pm — 7:00pm, 21 April 2026
Venue: The George
Location: 50 Park Terrace, Christchurch Central City
Price members: $30.00 incl GST
Price non-members: $40.00 incl GST

Overview

Experience first-hand how boards make decisions under pressure. This interactive session places you in a simulated governance crisis, where you and your peers will act as a board to navigate the challenges, deliberate options, and make decisions in real time.

Guided by the Four Pillars of Governance Best Practice - Determining Purpose, Effective Governance Culture, Holding to Account, and Effective Compliance - you’ll practise applying core governance principles to complex scenarios.

By the end of the session, you will:

Experience how a board functions in a crisis
Build confidence contributing to board discussions, even with limited governance experience
Learn how to balance strategic oversight with management accountability
Strengthen your professional network through the Young Directors’ Network

This practical, hands-on session is designed to sharpen your critical thinking, ethical judgement, and collaborative skills - essential tools for every new and aspiring director.

All are welcome - whether you’re at the start of your governance journey, actively seeking your first board role, or an experienced director looking to support the next generation of governance leaders.

Ben Kepes

CFInstD

Ben is a professional board member, a globally-recognised technology commentator, and an entrepreneur Ben has served on the boards of a number of non-profit, privately held and public-sector entities in New Zealand and the UK. He has won a number of accolades including being a recipient of the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award and being recognised as a Chartered Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors in 2021.

Ben has been an investor in a large number of early-stage technology startups across three continents and has had successful exits to listed and privately held companies in Canada, the US, and the UK. He has served on the advisory boards of a number of technology startups in New Zealand, Australia, the US, and the UK.

Additional information

Should you have any dietary, mobility, cultural or other requirements, you can let us know on the registration form.

By registering for this event, you are confirming that you agree to adhere to our event terms and conditions.

Branch event cancellation policy

Regrettably, registration fees cannot be refunded when cancellations are received within two working days prior to any branch event. See our standard terms and conditions for more information.