The End Of The “Digital NED”

At Odgers’ third event in our ‘Bridging the Gap’ series, three experienced Chairs and NEDs recently challenged one of the most persistent ideas in board governance: that digital or technology expertise sits with one person.

Our panellists were: 

• Adam Banks, Chair, Vault Sentinel, AuDHD UK & DCSA. 
• Natasja Laheij, Chair, ASOS plc.
• James Bilefield, Chair, SThree plc, HBX Group plc, MPB & Anyvan.

Their conclusion was clear: this framing is now outdated. The real question for boards is not whether they have a digital NED, but whether digital thinking is integrated into the organisation’s core governance, strategy and decision-making.

This shift has significant implications for how boards operate, how strategy is shaped, and ultimately how organisations compete in the future. 

No longer a specialist ‘add-on’ 

Digital and technology are no longer standalone functions. They are central to strategy, operations, and competitive advantage. Framing this as the responsibility of a single digital NED risks creating silos around what should be a shared, board-level capability. The most effective boards understand that digital maturity and insight is a critical skill of all board members. Not unlike finance, you need a qualified accountant on the board, but all board members should be able to read a balance sheet. 

The challenge for Chairs is to ensure that responsibility for technology, AI and digital risk is shared. While deep expertise may sit with one or two individuals, the questions, judgements and decisions must be owned by the whole board. Often, the most valuable contributions come from non-technologists. Their ability to ask simple, probing questions about risk appetite, return on investment, or organisational readiness can cut through complexity and sharpen the discussion.  

Using technology expertise effectively at the board table 

Digital expertise at board level adds most value when it translates technical complexity into business-relevant insight, linking digital investments to risk, capital allocation, culture and long-term value. Boards can quickly become ineffective when discussions descend into technical detail.

Effective NEDs operate with what one Chair described as “eyes in, hands out” where they are engaged and informed, but not interfering with executive delivery. That said, the board must possess the expertise and technical depth to understand where diving into the detail is necessary. As one Chair described it: “your job as a NED is to remain high level, but when you see something that doesn’t look right, you need the ability to dive into that detail. That’s why having someone with the technical expertise is important.” 

AI is amplifying the board’s leadership challenge 

If digital and technology have moved to the centre of strategy, AI is accelerating that shift at an unprecedented pace. Boards are no longer simply concerned with modernising technology or ensuring the accuracy of digital information. AI is fundamentally reshaping how businesses operate and compete. 

In this environment, boards must recognise that without innovation and adaptation, organisations risk falling behind. Increasingly, the greatest risk lies not in acting, but in failing to act.

One Chair described the importance of giving the business “permission to experiment” with AI, a framing that balances innovation with governance, risk with opportunity. 

The role of the Chair: setting the tone and enabling the debate 

The Chair’s role is pivotal. Beyond orchestrating effective discussion, Chairs must actively shape how the board engages with digital and AI topics. This requires leading by example through direct engagement with new technologies to build credibility, prioritising forward-looking discussions that move beyond governance oversight to enable genuine strategic challenge, and bridging strategy with execution by rigorously testing assumptions and holding management accountable for delivering tangible outcomes. 

What boards should do next 

The discussion points to a clear conclusion: the future board is not defined by whether it has digital expertise, but by how effectively it integrates that expertise into collective decision-making. 

What boards should do next: 

• Reframe digital discussions in business terms - focus on outcomes, not only technical oversight.
• Invest in baseline digital literacy across the board and continue to update this knowledge given how quickly the landscape is evolving.
• Give the business license to experiment with technology and AI.  
• Build a culture of curiosity and challenge.  

A moment of opportunity and urgency 

Technology is still under-governed in the boardroom. Relying on a single digital NED is no longer enough. Boards that build collective digital fluency will gain a clear competitive edge. The real shift? From “digital NED” to “NED of the future.”