VALBEREDNINGSEVENT #1 2025: Makrotrender & styrelsearvoden

deb. together with Nasdaq held an event on the morning of 23 january. An inspiring opportunity to exchange ideas and build connections among board chairs, directors, and nomination committee members. The discussions moderated by Hanna Moisander highlighted key challenges and solutions for improving board work and compensation models in Swedish companies.

Key takeaways from the event:

• Complementary compensation models
  Fixed fees alone are insufficient to address varying workloads. The panel agreed on the need for additional models but differed on how they should be implemented.

• Synthetic shares
  Linking compensation to stock performance creates alignment with company success. Variable payouts tied to long-term performance (e.g., after five years) were highlighted as an effective approach.

• Extraordinary compensation
  Roundtables suggested AGM-approved funds for additional work efforts, with allocation decisions managed by the nomination committee to ensure fairness.

• International recruitment challenges
  Lower board fees in Sweden hinder international talent acquisition. Share-based compensation and travel allowances were discussed as potential solutions.

• Balancing fixed vs. performance-based fees
  Opinions were divided. Some supported performance-based models, while others emphasized the importance of fixed fees to maintain focus on teamwork.

  Insights from the roundtables

• Compensation for additional workload
  Suggested models included AGM-approved funds that can be allocated to extraordinary situations, with oversight by the nomination committee to ensure fairness. 

• Company-specific fee adaptation
  Compensation should reflect the unique circumstances of each company, such as ownership structure, financial performance, and competency needs.

• Correlation between fees and performance
  While the link between board fees and outcomes remains debated, engagement was unanimously identified as the most critical factor for successful board work.

  Special thanks to
  Johan Javeus for his insights on macroeconomic trends and the future.
  Andrew Suneson Meiling for presenting MERIT500 data on board fee trends and differences.
  The panel participants: Petra Hedengran, Ossian Ekdahl, Johannes Wingborg, and kicki wallje-lund for an insightful discussion leading to many of the key takeaways.

  Thank you to all who joined us this morning, for your engagement and valuable contributions. The event showcased the power of collaboration and networking in driving innovation in board work.
  
  We look forward to continuing the discussions in the next event in May!