Board Intelligence is the UK and Northern Europe's largest board technology and advisory firm, trusted by more than 75,000 leaders across the Fortune 500 & FTSE 100. Board Intelligence focuses on the science of board effectiveness, offering a suite of AI-powered software tools, evaluation frameworks, and services that improve the effectiveness of boards and the efficiency of board processes.
Steve Wade, head of content, IR Impact
Steve Wade is head of content for IR Impact and Governance Intelligence. In his role, Steve and his team are responsible for researching and producing insightful content that helps the investor relations and governance communities stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices in their fields.
Steve curates content across multiple platforms, including conferences, workshops, think tanks, podcasts, best practice guides, videos and websites. Steve guides editorial coverage and research to ensure they fulfill the needs of our communities and is responsible for hosting our conferences and presenting research at industry events.
Prior to joining IR Impact and Governance Intelligence, Steve’s experience has been in ESG and sustainability research, producing conferences for Ethical Corporation (now Reuters Events.) During this time, Steve was a judge for the Deloitte Green Frog Awards and presented research at the Global Sustainable Events Summit and United Nations Global Compact, World Bank & Polish Ministry of Finance events.
Steve was recently selected as a member of the 2025 Class of National Investor Relations Institute’s (NIRI) Rising Leaders Under 40.
Niamh Corbett, head of Americas, Board Intelligence
Niamh Corbett is Head of Americas for Board Intelligence, and has been with the firm for over a decade. Having built and led the firm’s Financial Services practice, she now leads Board Intelligence’s senior board relationships in the US, advising clients on board effectiveness, use of AI in the boardroom, and conducting board assessments. She joined Board Intelligence from investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where she advised companies on their capital market transactions and M&A. Niamh writes and speaks regularly on governance & boardroom topics, including a bi-weekly column in the Financial Times on what matters in the boardroom. She is also a founding member of the 30% Club – a global campaign group set up to improve boardroom diversity.
Sarah Fortt, deputy general counsel and corporate secretary, Ford
Sarah has spent her fifteen years of practice working with organizations, small and large, public
and private, in navigating their relationships and communications with key stakeholders, including
their investors, regulators, employees and communities. She has regularly worked with boards of
directors and senior management on their approaches to corporate governance, oversight and
disclosure, crisis management, succession planning and board education.
Sarah is the Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Ford Motor Company. Prior to
joining Ford, Sarah was a Partner and Global Co-Chair of the sustainability practice at Latham &
Watkins. Before joining Latham, Sarah was the mind behind the creation of one of the first crossfunctional
governance and sustainability groups at a U.S.-based global law firm, where she also
served as the firm’s dedicated corporate governance expert.
Sarah is a key thought leader in U.S. corporate governance and on matters regarding
environmental and social corporate risks and opportunities, including those relating to
governance, corporate culture, climate change and human rights. She has helped clients create
consistent, e,ective and meaningful stakeholder communications (both required and voluntary),
and has worked with companies across multiple industries in times of calm and in times of crisis,
as well as during key strategic transactions.
Sarah has created a unique perspective on and approach to corporate cultural wellness that
connects an in-depth understanding of leadership, governance, the ethics and compliance
functions, employee incentives and initiatives, and corporate risk and crisis management. She has
a sophisticated understanding of incentive structures and how they function across various levels
of an organization given an organization’s strategies, goals and values.
Seth Gastwirth, deputy general counsel, assistant corporate secretary and general counsel, JLL
Seth is a seasoned legal executive with a proven track record of providing strategic legal counsel and support to large global organizations. Seth is the Deputy General Counsel, Assistant Corporate Secretary, and General Counsel for Work Dynamics at JLL.
By working closely with the Work Dynamics Executive Board and other senior leadership, Seth advises on risk mitigation, governance and policy creation, litigation and dispute resolution, M&A deal structures, and solution design and implementation. His contributions help ensure that legal considerations are integrated seamlessly into JLL's decision-making processes. Seth effectively navigates complex legal landscapes while supporting JLL's growth strategies.
As JLL’s Assistant Corporate Secretary, Seth's role as a trusted legal counselor to the JLL Board of Directors and JLL Global Executive Board underscores his commitment to fostering sound corporate governance practices. With his expertise in corporate governance matters, director and officer independence, and compliance with securities laws, Seth plays a vital role in maintaining JLL's commitment to transparency, accountability, and best practices.
Through his leadership and strategic guidance, Seth enables JLL's Work Dynamics business to flourish in a competitive market. Seth's dedication and expertise make him a valuable asset in supporting JLL's strategic priorities and delivering exceptional results for clients and stakeholders alike.
Prior to joining JLL in 2021, Seth previously served as a legal executive at Cushman & Wakefield and AkzoNobel and was a Litigation Partner at the international law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Seth received his law and undergraduate degrees from the University of Michigan.
