A new model of director has arrived: a benefit of the digital director is their potential to act as a 'disruptor' and change how a board thinks.

• Author: Preusse, Charles F.
• Position: DIRECTOR RECRUITING

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA continues to change consumer behavior. Pressure to fully understand both the challenges and the opportunities that this change now presents in the corporate world has risen to the board level. A new model of corporate director, dubbed the "digital director," has arrived, and like the industry from which they hail, these candidates are often younger, less senior than traditional corporate directors, and have little or no corporate boardroom experience. Companies that increasingly rely on new media are seeking out these individuals to bring high-level guidance to their boards. Most clients acknowledge the importance of digital but the decision to dedicate a board seat to it has come down to how transformational digital is to their industry.

For some companies, the benefits of having digital expertise in the boardroom can be significant. A digital director can help guide the CEO strategically, and can advise the board on the greater digital landscape and costly investments in technology. Hands-on digital experience can be critical in helping a board understand their customers' needs for interacting with the company's products, as well as how to leverage new information/insight into what their customers are saying and ultimately consuming. Another benefit of the digital director is their potential to act as a "disruptor" and change how a board thinks. For companies that are not at the forefront of digital, adding a disruptor can force a board to look at the company's challenges and deficiencies, and demonstrate the necessity of taking digital seriously.

For industries such as media, retail and consumer goods, digital is transforming the very way these companies are doing business, and digital expertise on the...