Jordi Canals is the IESE Foundation Professor of Corporate Governance and President of the IESE Center for Corporate Governance in Barcelona, Spain. He has published widely on corporate strategy and corporate governance, was the Dean of IESE Business School (2001–2016), and is or has been a board member in several international companies, as well as in universities and foundations.

• Introduction; 1. The changing nature and functions of boards of directors; 2. Boards of directors and purpose: From monitoring to Stewards of the firm's purpose; 3. Boards of directors in corporate strategy: From maximizing short-term shareholder value to creating long-term value; 4. The role of the board of directors in corporate transformation; 5. The board in CEO and senior managers selection, development and succession; 6. From board structure to boards as effective teams; 7. From compliance to an engaging corporate culture; 8. Engaging shareholders and key stakeholders; 9. Assessing the firm's overall impact; 10. Effective boards of directors for better governance: Creating a masterpiece.

'Today's companies are simultaneously facing enormous disruption - in markets, in technologies and in the nature of competition - and the demand that they be more purpose driven, and much more responsive to the needs of multiple stakeholders. In this important and intriguing book, Jordi Canals unpacks what this means for the role and capacity of the board. Drawing on a wide range of case studies he presents an eminently practical, highly grounded approach to creating the 21st century board that will be an invaluable resource for boards and CEOs alike.' Rebecca Henderson, John and Natty McArthur University Professor, Harvard University