How to Win Trust, Shape Vision, and Avoid Pitfalls

Vinod Sivaramakrishnan, former Group CDIO, Essar Group, on presenting the AI strategy to the Board.

- By Musharrat Shahin | [e-mail]

AS A former CDIO at the Essar Group and having occupied senior IT leadership positions in GE, Walmart and Indus Towers, Vinod Sivaramakrishnan has spent decades in boardrooms, bridging the gap between technology and leadership.

His message was clear: delivering an Al strategy isn't just about technology; it's about clarity, trust, and foresight.

Why Presenting to the Board Is Both Opportunity and Threat

Sivaramakrishnan highlighted that presenting to the board is more than a procedural exercise. It serves as a platform for educating, reassuring, and aligning leadership. Boards, by nature, are cautious and often demand reassurance that management has a clear stance on emerging issues, such as Al or cloud.

But the stakes are high: a poorly delivered presentation can cast doubt on leadership potential, leave strategies hanging in limbo, or worse, create detractors within the boardroom.

What Boards Really Want: Effort, Clarity, and Conviction