Peer M. Schatz has spent decades working with boards, as a CEO, Board Chair and NED. As CEO of QIAGEN, he scaled the company from an early-stage venture to a global leader in molecular diagnostics, driving revenue beyond $1.6 billion and a market capitalisation of nearly $10 billion. He has also served as Board Chair of Centogene NV and Resolve Biosciences and is a NED of Siemens Healthineers AG, giving him firsthand insight into what makes a board work - and what holds it back.

What distinguishes exemplary boards is that they are robust, effective social systems." – ("What Makes Great Boards Great," Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, Harvard Business Review)

​A well-functioning board is one of the most powerful levers a CEO can pull. But when leadership in the boardroom falls short—whether due to misalignment, disengagement, or structural inefficiencies—it creates friction at precisely the moments when clarity and speed are needed most. Instead of driving strategic execution, a misfiring board can slow decision-making, dilute accountability, and erode investor and stakeholder confidence.

Addressing board underperformance is one of the most complex challenges a CEO faces. Unlike executive leadership, where direct authority allows for immediate action, board dynamics require influence, recalibration, and often difficult conversations. This session will focus on how CEOs can identify the early signs of board underperformance, navigate dysfunction, and implement strategies to ensure the board operates as a force multiplier rather than a constraint.