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Contact: Judy Warner (617) 399-3046
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BOSTON (APRIL 3, 2008) – Warren Buffett ranks highest on the most admired list of directors, followed by such boardroom luminaries as Ken Chenault, Andrea Jung, Al Gore, Barry Diller, and Bill Gates, according to Directorship magazine’s Annual Survey of Exceptional Directors. Culling data from proxy firms, reader polls and governance experts, the newly published survey illustrates the qualities of high-performing board members and points to directors who are at the top of their game.
In its April/May cover story, “Board All-Stars 2008,” Directorship reports that when it comes to assembling a board there is no perfect formula. Case in point: Natalie Bancroft, the 27-year-old opera singer handpicked by News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch to serve on its board following the acquisition of Dow Jones & Co., because she can provide a much needed younger voice for a company whose future will rely more on the internet than the printed page.
In addition, Directorship singled out entire boards that possess the qualities that, according to the article, typify boardroom excellence. Boeing, Colgate Palmolive, Goldman Sachs, Schering-Plough, and Tyco International all made the cut.
The April/May issue of Directorship also features the following stories:
o Consultant extraordinaire Ram Charan, who has advised numerous CEOs including Jack Welch, on “Becoming a Better Board”
o A Q&A with Allstate chairman Edward Liddy on retiring at the top of your game
o A detailed look at the new titans of capital: Sovereign Wealth Funds
o Author and Harvard Business School Prof. Joseph Bower on grooming corporate leadership from within
o Risk Alert: “Fraud’s Red Flags: 10 signs your company may be fostering a corporate culture conducive to wrongdoing.”
About the publication
Directorship is a bimonthly magazine written for corporate board members and C-level executives. It is owned and published by NewsMarkets LLC, a privately held media company in Boston whose mission is to produce the highest quality content and events to support the needs of senior executives, boards of directors, and global leaders. Newsmarkets also publishes the leading governance newsletter for institutional investors and governance professionals, Global Proxy Watch (www.proxywatch.com)