Inside BDN’s Spring 2026 Cohort: Module 1

At BDN, what participants take away from their first board readiness session is not just the content. It is how they interpret it, challenge it, and carry it forward. On March 28, BDN’s Spring 2026 Cohort 7 completed Module 1 of the Board Readiness & Networking Program.

The day focused on the fundamentals of today’s boardroom. Committee structures, director legal obligations, D&O insurance, ESG and climate oversight, board assessments, and the skills matrix.

But the real value comes through in how that content resonated with the attendees.

As Belinda Blades, CPA, CA shared: “Understand and protect your governance brand; technical competence will get you to the table – but to be effective in the boardroom in a continually evolving risk climate, you must collaborate with your fellow directors, actively participate in each meeting, have the courage to ask the difficult questions, and hold your convictions with humility.”


Betina G. Airoldi, CIA, CRMA, CAMS, PMP, CPA-Argentina reflected on another dimension: “The diversity of experiences, the quality of the conversations, and the chance to learn from the best have strengthened the confidence and clarity I need to challenge thoughtfully and lead with impact in the boardroom.”

Because those takeaways are not formed in isolation. They are shaped by the room.

As Belinda shared, the BDN room was filled with a “very experienced and diverse group of individuals,” which directly informed the quality of the conversation and the depth of learning.

At BDN, we believe board success is rooted in being surrounded by a diverse, high-calibre network. Not just learning the frameworks, but being in a room where your thinking is expanded by others with different perspectives, experiences, and standards.

That is what the program is designed to do. Equip candidates with both the boardroom readiness and the network that elevates how they show up.

We look forward to building on this momentum in Module 2!