Director Institute

The efforts underway to advance diverse executive leadership and corporate board diversity are not enough. In order to meet the long-term demand for parity, boards and CEOs need to better understand the strategic value that diversity brings to boardrooms and leadership teams, expand the pipeline, and accelerate the development of their diverse executives.

Heidrick & Struggles’ Director Institute is an experiential development program that solves for this shortfall by increasing the opportunities, exposure, and understanding of diverse talent in the boardroom. Its unique approach pairs sponsored executives, personally recommended by their CEOs, with the boards of non-competitive companies.

In this fully integrated apprenticeship, diverse executives assume a Board Observer role for two years, receiving inside access to the nuances of board dynamics. In this invaluable learning and networking experience, high-potential individuals gain skills and confidence, while participating companies receive complete, seasoned professionals ready to thrive as board members or in other top leadership roles.