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Dysfunctional boards: practical takeaways for directors

Lee Ooi Keong
Lee Ooi Keong • 13 min read
Dysfunctional boards: practical takeaways for directors
The most successful boards are those that can balance commercial imperatives with empathy / Photo by André Ravazzi on Unsplash
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The recent boardroom tussle at City Developments (CDL) between executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng and his son, group CEO Sherman Kwek, has provided a rare public glimpse into the governance challenges faced by family-controlled companies.

Though the dispute has been resolved with both parties agreeing to continue in their respective roles, it offers valuable lessons for boards and directors, particularly those serving in family-controlled businesses.

This article examines how the episode impacted CDL’s share price as well as how the market and analysts responded, and distills practical lessons for directors.
Sequence of events and market impact

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