2017 Director Sentiment Survey

What directors told us in 2017

The 2017 Director Sentiment Survey collected insights from more than 900 directors across Aotearoa New Zealand, marking a pivotal point in shifting boardroom priorities and governance expectations.

Key themes included:

• • Economic outlook: Directors remained cautiously optimistic, balancing steady economic performance with concerns about global uncertainty and domestic policy changes.
  • Board composition and evaluation: Around 70% of surveyed boards began actively reviewing their mix of skills and experience, although fewer than half conducted formal board assessments.
  • Talent and workforce development: With shifting demographic trends and rising demand for digital skills, over 60% of boards identified talent and capability as a top organisational risk.
  • Digital and cyber awareness: More than half of directors reported their boards regularly discussed technology-driven risks—though just a third felt fully equipped for leading digital transformation.
  • Governance and resilience: Crisis management and long-term sustainability were firmly on the radar, with over three-quarters of boards embedding these topics into governance discussions.
  • Risk oversight and liability: Directors showed growing awareness of personal liability and compliance pressures, emphasizing the need for robust risk frameworks and board-level oversight.

These enduring insights highlight how boards in 2017 were proactively addressing future-focused challenges, from talent and digital readiness to risk management, governance capability, and long-term resilience.

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We hope you find this Director Sentiment Survey insightful. We would love to hear your thoughts. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to discuss the report. 

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The Director Sentiment Survey is brought to you by the Institute of Directors and ASB.