Introducing the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence Advisory Council: Strengthening Board Effectiveness for a New Era

By Vanessa Mesics, Head of Director Experience, Co-Lead of the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence, Nasdaq

The Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence (the Center) is thrilled to announce the expansion of our Advisory Council, a significant milestone in our commitment to elevate board effectiveness and support directors navigating today’s rapidly changing governance landscape. As boards confront increasingly complex pressures and risks, such as accelerating cybersecurity threats, disruptive technologies, shifting regulatory expectations, macroeconomic uncertainty, and evolving expectations for corporate culture and workforce strategy, the expertise and experiences of our Advisory Council is more essential than ever. Strengthening board excellence across these issues remains core to the Center’s purpose
 

Evolving Our Advisory Council

We are proud to introduce Oliver Albers, Chief Product Officer, Capital Access Platforms, Nasdaq, as Chair of the Advisory Council. Under Oliver’s leadership, the Council is positioned to deepen its impact and broaden its cross‑sector perspectives. His vision centers on empowering board members and executives with actionable insights, modern governance tools, and expert guidance rooted in real‑world challenges. 

Oliver shared, “Today’s boardrooms are facing a level of complexity we’ve never seen before—from emerging technologies and geopolitical uncertainty to shifting stakeholder expectations. The Advisory Council brings together exceptional leaders whose judgment and experience will help boards stay ahead of these challenges, strengthen oversight, and build long‑term resilience. I am honored to serve as Chair alongside such a distinguished group.” 

In addition, we proudly welcome four distinguished leaders whose insights align deeply with the emerging issues for board members and executives, including:

• Linda Addison, Board Member and Audit Chair at CohnReznick and Board Member at Lexitas, is a former CEO and experienced independent director of public, private and private equity-backed companies. She is Lead Director of Globe Life Inc., an S&P 500 company, and previously served as an Independent Director of KPMG.
• Jack Lazar, Board Member (Box, Astera Labs, GlobalFoundries, Residio and Tonal), Advisor, and Former Operating Executive, has over 30 years of Silicon Valley experience with a focus on finance and operations. He has served in executive leadership roles at GoPro, Qualcomm, Atheros, NetRatings, Apptitude, and Electronics for Imaging.
• Shannon Nash, Board Member and Partner at Alpha AI, is a tech CFO, CPA, and attorney with more than 30 years of experience across technology, finance, and corporate governance. She serves on the boards of NetScout Systems (Audit Committee) and SoFi Bank (Chair, Compensation Committee), and previously served as CFO of Wing (an Alphabet company) and Reputation.com, with earlier leadership roles at Amgen, KPMG, and Cooley LLP.
• Natalie Rothman, Chair of the Compensation Committee at Udemy and Chief Human Resources Officer at The Hershey Company, is an experienced corporate executive and three-time CHRO with over twenty-five years of experience working in consumer products, foodservice, beauty, retail and automotive.

The Council’s Contributions and Insights

Our new Advisory Council members join a community of leaders who help shape the Center’s priorities, guide our research agenda, and provide insights that support board members and executives confronting risks and opportunities of the modern boardroom. Linda Addison remarked, “The Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence Advisory Council sits at the intersection of governance, innovation, and long-term value creation. I look forward to joining the exceptional directors who serve on this board, and to contributing to the dialogue shaping how boards lead in an increasingly complex environment.”

Natalie Rothman shared similar sentiment, noting, “Nasdaq has long set the standard for board governance and education—it's an organization that takes director development seriously. I'm thrilled to join a council of accomplished board members and business leaders who are committed to elevating how boards lead, govern, and create lasting value.”

Jack Lazars added, “As a premier leader in the financial community, Nasdaq and this advisory council have a unique opportunity to help boards of directors evaluate and adapt to upcoming trends and improvements in the boardroom. I believe the Advisory Council can solicit input and provide valuable insights to companies of all sizes, from large cap to those striving to become public, and this lines up well with my personal mission to help improve the productivity and impact of boards.”

The Advisory Council’s perspectives will be instrumental in developing the frameworks, tools, and programming that help boards strengthen oversight and lead with confidence. Shannon Nash shared, “In an environment shaped by rapid advances in AI, cyber, and emerging technologies, the opportunity to collaborate with such a distinguished group to exchange practical, forward-looking perspectives is incredibly energizing. The Center is uniquely positioned to convene directors and practitioners around these critical conversations and help shape actionable insights for today’s landscape.”

As the governance landscape continues to evolve, their collective expertise will guide the Center’s focus on:

• Cyber and technology risk oversight
• Innovation and digital transformation
• Financial resilience and capital markets complexity
• Human capital, culture, and leadership
• Global operational and regulatory challenges

Setting the Stage for a New Era of Board Effectiveness

Thank you to all our Advisory Council members for their commitment and readiness to embark on this important work. Together, we are shaping a new era of board effectiveness that meets the realities of today’s environment and anticipates the challenges of tomorrow.

The Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence is excited about the journey ahead and the impact the Advisory Council hopes to have on today’s business environment and the future of the boardroom.
 

About the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence

The Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence convenes board members, executives, and governance professionals to advance board effectiveness and empower connectivity in the boardroom and beyond. In additional to exclusive access to thought leadership, webinars, and curated events, members can tap into its community of over 14,000 members and build authentic connections. Learn more about the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence.