Rytis Ambrazevičius: Board members are the guardians of a company’s reputation | Blind Spot #15

Rytis Ambrazevičius argues that boards are the true guardians of a company’s reputation — without their oversight, transparency and trust collapse. Being a board member today requires far more than a certificate: you must understand how a CEO works, ask tough questions, analyse, communicate, and resist political pressure. Clear rules and transparency, he notes, protect both the organisation and its leaders.

He explains how professional board culture in the Baltics grew from scratch, why micro-management happens when executives join boards without changing mindset, and why continuous learning is essential — especially as new topics like sustainability, cybersecurity and AI enter boardrooms.

Ambrazevičius also stresses that in NGOs reputation is their biggest asset. Finally, he outlines the basics every board member must know: assessing the CEO, understanding strategy, ensuring diverse competencies, and dedicating time to real analysis.

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