Senior Advisor Role

Professor Esser serves as Senior Advisor to the IoD Centre for Corporate Governance, contributing to the Institute of Directors' mission to promote good governance standards across the UK and internationally. In this role, she provides expert academic insight on corporate governance policy, board effectiveness, and the evolving role of non-executive directors.

NEDs Reimagined Report

NEDs Reimagined: A Post-Higgs Review of the Role of Non-Executive Directors

Co-authored landmark report for the IoD examining the evolving role of non-executive directors more than twenty years after the Higgs Review. The report reassesses NED responsibilities, challenges, and effectiveness in modern corporate governance.

IoD Centre for Corporate Governance, 2026

IoD Commission on Non-Executive Directors

Professor Esser contributed to the IoD Commission on Non-Executive Directors, which investigated current challenges, expectations, and the future direction of the NED role in UK corporate governance. The Commission's findings informed the NEDs Reimagined report and ongoing governance policy recommendations.

Events

Reimagining Non-Executive Directors

Launch event for the NEDs Reimagined report, bringing together directors, governance professionals, and policymakers to discuss the future of the non-executive director role.

3 February 2026 · IoD, London

IoD Biography

View Professor Esser's full biography on the Institute of Directors website.