A survey of 500 UK and Irish board directors and C-suite leaders by the Corporate Governance Institute found that 86% of respondents believe their organisations have governance blind spots or weaknesses. The findings were published today in the whitepaper Boardroom Resilience in 2026: Independent Research Into Board Readiness, Risk and Strategy.

The report highlights gaps in board composition, oversight and skills, which can limit an organisation’s ability to manage emerging risks including cyber security, artificial intelligence adoption and ESG accountability.

Ciaran Bollard, CEO of the CGI, said: “When 86% of directors admit their organisation has governance blind spots, it tells us something important. Many boards know they are not fully prepared for the risks ahead. The danger is that these weaknesses often remain hidden until a crisis exposes them. While external risks such as cyber attacks, economic instability and regulatory change often dominate board agendas, our research suggests that internal governance capability may represent an equally important challenge.

“Blind spots often develop when boards become too comfortable. If the same perspectives dominate the boardroom, difficult questions do not get asked and risks can sit in plain sight,” Bollard added.

The whitepaper recommends proactive assessment of collective board expertise through evaluations, skills matrices and succession planning to strengthen governance.

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