As businesses face volatility and market shifts, many corporate boards are having to make critical decisions amid heightened uncertainty to help top management deliver growth while strengthening resilience. Against this backdrop, improving board composition could be a key strategy for enterprises seeking to build long-term strength. This potential is underscored by a recent Deloitte Global survey of 739 board directors and C-suite executives, in which 38% of respondents identified it as a leading driver of long-term resilience, second only to open communication between the board and the CEO (66%).

Having broader functional experience in the boardroom could help enterprises adapt more effectively to shifting market conditions. To assess that potential, we examined how directors’ career backgrounds may influence the capabilities of Fortune 100 boards, drawing on the last six leadership roles held by each director (see “About the data”).[1] The objective is practical: to provide a baseline for board refreshment discussions and help focus director education efforts.

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