How To Make Boards Work Differently
We tend to think of boards as places where sensible, experienced and successful people come together to make good decisions.
But what happens when those same people bring their egos, competing interests, power, fears and personal histories into the room?
In this interview, I speak with Marc Stöckli, entrepreneur, speaker and author of “Make Boards Work”. We explore why boards so often fail to work and what it takes to turn them into places of trust, challenge, candour and ultimately better decision-making.
We discuss:
- Why do boards fail
- What makes them work
- What can we learn about human behaviour
- What does the future look like
Listen Here:
Marc O. Stöckli
Marc O. Stöckli is a one-of-a-kind mentor and coach to advisory boards across the world. He has benefited from an insider perspective for many years in the development and writing of this book. Marc has been a public speaker to thousands of entrepreneurs in more than 30 countries.
From early on in his career, Marc has been exposed to board work. First, as a young investment banker, then as a strategy consultant, for world-renowned
professional services firms. Later on, as an entrepreneur and investor. Marc has prepared for, attended and reflected on more than 200 board meetings overall. This profound experience has been gained globally, allowing Marc to provide unique insights and disclose hidden opportunities.
Marc O. Stöckli is the co-founder and former CEO of Totemo. Their cyber-security products are used by 1,500 corporations and more than 3.5m licensed users.
Totemo was sold to Palo Alto-based Kiteworks in December 2021. Marc is an active investor, board member and coach for entrepreneurial companies and teams in technology and financial services. He acts, or acted, in such capacity for Amwell (IPO on NYSE in September 2020), Beekeeper (where Marc was first investor, long- time mentor and acted as board chairman when it merged with LumApps in July 2025), Merantix, Lucy Security (sold to ThriveDX in February 2022), Vara, Cryptomathic, CleanHub or Format Vermögen & Anlagen, to name but a few. With Totemo/Kiteworks and Beekeeper/LumApps, Marc is a co-creator of two so-called unicorns.
Previously, Marc worked in corporate finance in Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York and in strategy consulting with BCG. He holds a law degree from the University of St. Gallen HSG alongside an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Marc also served as an artillery officer in the Swiss Army as well as the Global Chairman of Entrepreneurs’ Organisation (“EO”), which has more than 20,000 members in over 70 countries.
An avid mountaineer, Marc has climbed all of Switzerland’s 48 peaks over 4,000 meters. He resides with his family in Zug, Switzerland.
Contact Marc
linkedin.com/in/marc-o-stockli
Website