Programme Overview
The ability of boards to make swift, high-stakes decisions during crises has never been more critical. According to McKinsey & Company's State of Organisations 2023 report, only half of organisations feel prepared to anticipate and react to external shocks, highlighting a significant gap in crisis readiness. Whether facing financial distress, regulatory scrutiny, cybersecurity threats, or reputational damage, directors must be equipped with structured decision-making frameworks to act decisively while balancing risk, governance, and stakeholder interests.
Traditional crisis management programmes often focus on operational response, but the real challenge lies in how decisions are made within the boardroom under intense pressure. The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance (2023) warns that risk aversion and cognitive biases often lead to delayed actions or costly misjudgments in corporate governance. This board simulation immerses participants in high-intensity decision-making scenarios, allowing them to experience the complexities of navigating boardroom dilemmas while considering ethical, legal, and financial consequences.
A key component of this programme is developing boardroom agility and mitigating decision biases. The World Economic Forum’s Resilience Pulse Check 2025 emphasises that bureaucracy and inefficient decision-making processes hinder an organisation’s ability to respond effectively to crises. This simulation challenges directors to refine their strategic judgment, leverage diverse perspectives, and implement structured decision-making models to enhance governance effectiveness.
By the end of this session, participants will have a stronger ability to make informed, confident, and strategic decisions under uncertainty. Through real-world case studies, facilitated role-playing, and exposure to governance best practices from global thought leaders such as McKinsey & Company, the Harvard Law School Forum, and the World Economic Forum, this program provides essential insights for directors to lead effectively in times of crisis.
Learning Outcomes
+Mastering Boardroom Decision-Making
ØUnderstand how crises impact governance and decision dynamics at the board level.
ØApply structured decision-making frameworks to assess risks, weigh options, and execute sound governance strategies.
ØDevelop the ability to ask the right questions and challenge assumptions constructively.
+Mitigating Decision Biases & Enhancing Judgment
ØIdentify common cognitive biases (e.g., confirmation bias, anchoring, groupthink) that impact board decisions.
ØLearn how to foster diverse perspectives and debate rigorously to improve decision outcomes.
+Navigating Legal, Financial & Reputational Risks
ØExamine case studies where board decisions led to significant consequences, learning from both failures and successes.
ØStrengthen understanding of regulatory expectations, corporate governance principles, and fiduciary duties in crisis situations.
+Simulated Boardroom Scenarios & Real-Time Decision-Making
ØEngage in a live crisis simulation where directors must collaborate, deliberate, and decide on high-stakes matters in real time.
ØDevelop strategies for leading effectively in ambiguous, high-pressure board environments.
Dr. Marcella Lucas is an innovation strategist who brings a global perspective to solving problems through innovative methods and solutions. Dr Lucas has co-created and delivered numerous trainings, workshops and conferences in the leadership and innovation space encompassing topics such as Blue Ocean Strategy, mindful and purpose-driven leadership, self-aware leadership and inclusion & diversity, for managers, senior managers, senior leadership, C-level leaders and Board of Directors.
Trained and certified as a Blue Ocean Strategy practioner, Dr Lucas was recruited to Malaysia in 2014 to deliver on strategic initiatives to support the national transformation efforts of the Malaysian government. Dr Lucas worked on developed high value, low cost and rapidly implementable strategies for Malaysia’s top political and civil servant leaders and key private sector players to foster social and economic development. This work involved advising on the strategy and planning for 11th Malaysia Plan, including strategy papers and game changers for implementation of projects and initiatives worth RM 260 billion(~US$64 billion).
Dr Lucas was previously the CEO of LeadWomen. Dr Lucas re-innovated how to position women’s leadership as a core strategic imperative for good, sustainable business performance. Under Dr Lucas´s leadership, LeadWomen grew from a training provider to a One-Stop-Solution consultancy for high calibre candidates looking for board opportunities and for boards looking for the right talent to meet their business needs.
Dr Lucas is a founding member of the Leadership Team and Lead for Workstream 3 (Supporting Women in Leadership) in Malaysia Women in Energy (MyWIE) and previously served on the Steering Committee of the 30% Club Malaysia. She serves as an external advisor at the Graduate School of Business at UKM and is an Adjunct Professor at UNITAR Graduate School of Business. Dr Marcella also served as a member of the Merdeka Award Nomination Committee (2020-2022).
Dr Lucas serves as a Board Director on Samudra Swiss Cottage Sdn Bhd. Dr Lucas obtained her PhD in Neuroscience from Dartmouth College, USA and BSc Biochemistry from the University of Bath, UK and is originally from the Netherlands.
