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Demand Mounts for Directors With Digital Smarts By Amanda Gerut ore companies are seeking As these recent examples show, boards are Supplies Are Limited Express envisioned Leonsis as a special boardroom. And the recruits can help a experienced new directors, that’s all to directors with digital and social raiding the executive ranks of America’s assistant to CEO Kenneth Chenault to board mirror more closely the background the good, Leonsis says. “Being open to M media expertise, and the urgent top technology brands to recruit new When search rm Spencer Stuart help the company usher in a host of of its company’s customers. various types of board members, demand is prompting boards to consider directors with backgrounds in social surveyed corporate secretaries for its digital strategies. But he was soon encouraging diering ideas and some people who at rst glance would media. Why? “Social media is a 2011 Board Index, it found that appointed as a director and asked to chair At some companies, the search for social accepting those who challenge appear to be unlikely candidates. conversation and interacts with consumers demand for directors with digital the board’s new innovation and media savvy is even making the boards conventional thinking is what pumps and stakeholders,” writes eodore expertise — experience in social media, technology committee. more diverse. For instance, last March, life into a board of directors and e Starbucks board in December made Leonsis, who serves on the boards of technology and e-commerce — had AutoNation’s board appointed another ultimately the company,” he writes. headlines when it invited 29-year-old American Express, Alcatel-Lucent, increased by 26% in the last year. According to the company’s proxy Facebook executive, Alison Rosenthal. Clara Shih to join its ranks. e founder NutriSystem and Rosetta Stone, in an statement, the committee, formed in July Rosenthal works in business development of social media start-up Hearsay Social, e-mail. “I have always believed a high level In a report published with the survey 2010, is responsible for reviewing and at Facebook, and previously worked for a Shih has held marketing positions at of engagement is a necessity in building results, Spencer Stuart cautioned that reporting to the board on major global private equity fund focused on Google, Microso and Salesforce.com. and growing a brand.” the demand for such directors dwarfs management strategies related to information technology and for Goldman She also has degrees from Stanford and the supply. As a result, many candidates technological and commercial Sachs Group. e board brought her on Oxford universities. In other words, Leonsis says, while social will have backgrounds very dierent innovation; the technology acquisition speci cally because of her social media media may be considered a trend, it’s from the classic board member pro le. process; and systems in place to measure expertise, also citing her nancial and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a actually a type of communication, and as the success of tech innovation. investment experience. statement that Shih’s social media such is a critical piece in growing a Leonsis is an exception, with a résumé background will help the company as it business. more like what one might expect of a “ose who embrace connecting and Rosenthal, 34, joins a board that consists seeks to “amplify the online experience Fortune 500 board member. He is engaging in a transparent, two-way entirely of men. e directors closest to her and interactions Starbucks has with our To snag new directors who are uent in CEO, chairman, founder and majority communication — including the use of in age are 17 years her senior, according to customers, partners and communities.” this new language, companies are willing to owner of Monumental Sports and social media — are companies that will the company’s most recent proxy be exible about attributes historically Entertainment, which owns and prosper,” Leonsis writes. statement. “Diversity on the board isn’t e previous month, Lululemon considered boardroom requirements. For operates the National Hockey League’s bad,” remarks executive recruiter Vell. Athletica added to its board Facebook example, none of the freshman directors Washington Capitals, the National Leonsis says he blogs daily, posts on executive Emily White, 33, who is senior named above is an active or retired CEO Basketball Association’s Washington Facebook and Twitter, publishes his Similarly, in June, WWE appointed Patricia director of mobile partnerships at the — in fact, none has reached the C level yet. Wizards, and the Women’s National e-mail address, and makes a point of Gottesman to its board. Gottesman is CEO social media behemoth. Previously, And they’re all rst-timers on public Basketball Association’s Washington being responsive to customers and of social media monitoring company White worked at Google, where she ran company boards. Mystics. e company also owns and business partners. “I think every board of Crimson Hexagon and previously spent 29 its Asia-Paci c and Latin American operates the Verizon Center arena in directors would bene t from someone years with Cablevision Systems, including a operations. But boards are obviously so eager to gain the downtown Washington, D.C. committed to online interactions with stint in its digital marketing and commerce 21st-century digital perspective on the world customers and business partners,” he branch. Gottesman also joins a board that And last September, eBay announced that they’re prepared to break with tradition. Leonsis was tapped for the AmEx board writes. consists solely of men, although WWE has that Facebook mobile marketing head aer the company in January 2010 two women senior executives, according to its Katie Mitic was its newest board “You need people who are players, who are purchased a tech rm called Revolution New Demographics website. member. Mitic, 42, previously held very smart and who have hands-on Money, a payment platform in which marketing and management positions at experience,” says Dora Vell, the managing Leonsis was an investor and where he Appointing new directors with digital If greater diversity turns out to be a side Palm and Yahoo. partner of Vell Executive Search, which is served as chairman. Initially, American expertise brings fresh blood into the eect as boards cast their nets for digitally active in the technology sector. “Why limit your board to only CEOs and CFOs?”

Vell Executive Search Inc. PHONE: 617-530-1260 www.vell.com www.AgendaWeek.com 2 of 2

Demand Mounts for Directors With Digital Smarts By Amanda Gerut ore companies are seeking As these recent examples show, boards are Supplies Are Limited Express envisioned Leonsis as a special boardroom. And the recruits can help a experienced new directors, that’s all to directors with digital and social raiding the executive ranks of America’s assistant to CEO Kenneth Chenault to board mirror more closely the background the good, Leonsis says. “Being open to media expertise, and the urgent top technology brands to recruit new When search rm Spencer Stuart help the company usher in a host of of its company’s customers. various types of board members, demand is prompting boards to consider directors with backgrounds in social surveyed corporate secretaries for its digital strategies. But he was soon encouraging diering ideas and some people who at rst glance would media. Why? “Social media is a 2011 Board Index, it found that appointed as a director and asked to chair At some companies, the search for social accepting those who challenge appear to be unlikely candidates. conversation and interacts with consumers demand for directors with digital the board’s new innovation and media savvy is even making the boards conventional thinking is what pumps and stakeholders,” writes eodore expertise — experience in social media, technology committee. more diverse. For instance, last March, life into a board of directors and e Starbucks board in December made Leonsis, who serves on the boards of technology and e-commerce — had AutoNation’s board appointed another ultimately the company,” he writes. headlines when it invited 29-year-old American Express, Alcatel-Lucent, increased by 26% in the last year. According to the company’s proxy Facebook executive, Alison Rosenthal. Clara Shih to join its ranks. e founder NutriSystem and Rosetta Stone, in an statement, the committee, formed in July Rosenthal works in business development of social media start-up Hearsay Social, e-mail. “I have always believed a high level In a report published with the survey 2010, is responsible for reviewing and at Facebook, and previously worked for a Dora Vell is the CEO of Vell Executive Shih has held marketing positions at of engagement is a necessity in building results, Spencer Stuart cautioned that reporting to the board on major global private equity fund focused on Search, a premier retained technology Google, Microso and Salesforce.com. and growing a brand.” the demand for such directors dwarfs management strategies related to information technology and for Goldman executive search rm in Boston. Ms. Vell is She also has degrees from Stanford and the supply. As a result, many candidates technological and commercial Sachs Group. e board brought her on an internationally recognized expert in Oxford universities. In other words, Leonsis says, while social will have backgrounds very dierent innovation; the technology acquisition speci cally because of her social media recruiting technology executives media may be considered a trend, it’s from the classic board member pro le. process; and systems in place to measure expertise, also citing her nancial and including: CEOs, COOs, CTOs, CMOs, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a actually a type of communication, and as the success of tech innovation. investment experience. CROs, board members and others. She statement that Shih’s social media such is a critical piece in growing a Leonsis is an exception, with a résumé works with VC-backed, PE-backed background will help the company as it business. more like what one might expect of a “ose who embrace connecting and Rosenthal, 34, joins a board that consists private companies and public companies. seeks to “amplify the online experience Fortune 500 board member. He is engaging in a transparent, two-way entirely of men. e directors closest to her She can be reached at [email protected]. and interactions Starbucks has with our To snag new directors who are uent in CEO, chairman, founder and majority communication — including the use of in age are 17 years her senior, according to customers, partners and communities.” this new language, companies are willing to owner of Monumental Sports and social media — are companies that will the company’s most recent proxy be exible about attributes historically Entertainment, which owns and prosper,” Leonsis writes. statement. “Diversity on the board isn’t e previous month, Lululemon considered boardroom requirements. For operates the National Hockey League’s bad,” remarks executive recruiter Vell. Athletica added to its board Facebook example, none of the freshman directors Washington Capitals, the National Leonsis says he blogs daily, posts on executive Emily White, 33, who is senior named above is an active or retired CEO Basketball Association’s Washington Facebook and Twitter, publishes his Similarly, in June, WWE appointed Patricia director of mobile partnerships at the — in fact, none has reached the C level yet. Wizards, and the Women’s National e-mail address, and makes a point of Gottesman to its board. Gottesman is CEO social media behemoth. Previously, And they’re all rst-timers on public Basketball Association’s Washington being responsive to customers and of social media monitoring company White worked at Google, where she ran company boards. Mystics. e company also owns and business partners. “I think every board of Crimson Hexagon and previously spent 29 its Asia-Paci c and Latin American operates the Verizon Center arena in directors would bene t from someone years with Cablevision Systems, including a operations. But boards are obviously so eager to gain the downtown Washington, D.C. committed to online interactions with stint in its digital marketing and commerce 21st-century digital perspective on the world customers and business partners,” he branch. Gottesman also joins a board that And last September, eBay announced that they’re prepared to break with tradition. Leonsis was tapped for the AmEx board writes. consists solely of men, although WWE has that Facebook mobile marketing head aer the company in January 2010 two women senior executives, according to its Katie Mitic was its newest board “You need people who are players, who are purchased a tech rm called Revolution New Demographics website. member. Mitic, 42, previously held very smart and who have hands-on Money, a payment platform in which marketing and management positions at experience,” says Dora Vell, the managing Leonsis was an investor and where he Appointing new directors with digital If greater diversity turns out to be a side Palm and Yahoo. partner of Vell Executive Search, which is served as chairman. Initially, American expertise brings fresh blood into the eect as boards cast their nets for digitally active in the technology sector. “Why limit your board to only CEOs and CFOs?”

Vell Executive Search Inc. PHONE: 617-530-1260 www.vell.com