Helle Bank Jorgensen

CEO and Founder

Helle Bank Jorgensen is an internationally recognized voice on governance, board effectiveness, and sustainability.

She is the founder of Competent Boards and leads Board Intelligence’s Board Development Practice globally, empowering boards and leadership teams around the world to enhance their impact through the science of board effectiveness.

Beyond her work with Competent Boards and Board Intelligence, Helle has initiated several pioneering projects. These include the world’s first green account, the first integrated report, the first holistic supply chain program and many other innovative business solutions, including her latest endeavour the Amazon bestseller The Future Boardroom: How to Transform in Turbulent Times.

Helle is a regular contributor to Financial Times’ Agenda, Board Agenda, and other prominent publications. She has also won numerous awards, including the Corporate Governance Lifetime Achievement Award 2024, the Peter Dey Governance Achievement Award from the Governance Professionals of Canada 2024, and the Globe and Mail’s 50 Changemakers for 2023. She was inducted into the Corporate Governance Hall of Fame by IR (Investor Relations) Magazine in 2024.

Public speaking

Helle is a regular keynote speaker, moderator, and panelist for major event hosts, including:

Amazon bestselling author​

Has the drive for corporate sustainability has crashed and burned?

Author Helle Bank Jorgensen, who advises corporate boards around the world on how to deal with turbulent times, says the answer is a resounding No. Corporations still face urgent demands from regulators, politicians, customers, and other stakeholders to clean up their environmental behavior and treat people fairly. This gives board members the complicated task of steering organizations that are facing conflicting demands from many quarters.

Helle is the author of Amazon bestseller Stewards of the Future: A Guide for Competent Boards.

The book gives invaluable guidance on what boards must do if the businesses they guide are to respond successfully to today’s enormous economic, environmental, and social challenges.

Through practical examples, guides, and real-life experiences, this highly praised book will help any business leader who wants to keep up with new environmental, ethical, financial, and societal demands.

“The keynote speaker, Helle Bank Jorgensen, CEO and Founder of Competent Boards, shared her expert insights on the importance of global issues and sustainability for board directors worldwide, and specifically for those in New Zealand.

It was enlightening to hear her perspective, and I found the discussions particularly relevant as they broadened our understanding of these critical topics. Following her talk, I engaged with several directors who, like me, were deeply inspired and eager to delve deeper into the subjects discussed.”

Vinni Pietras-Jensen

PhD, MInstD, Dir. BuildCon Ltd. and member of The Transalpine Environmental Sustainability Governance Group, New Zealand

Awards

Helle’s work has been widely recognized, including:

Other accolades

Helle serves on:

She has served as the Chair of the European Sustainability Reporting Association (ESRA), the Global Compact Network Canada, Datamaran, and as a member of the Sustainability Advisory Panel of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the Sustainability Policy Group of the Institute of European Accountants (FEE).

Thought leadership

Helle’s book, blogs, articles, and posts make her one of the world’s most read and followed voices in governance and sustainability, and one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices. Articles include:

Follow Helle on social media

Welcome, which course are you interested in:

Primarily discuss the topics through the lens of serving on the board. You must be serving on at least one board with fiduciary responsibility to enter this stream.

Discuss the topics through a wide range of business perspectives (including the board) and comprise senior executives, investors, and board advisors.