The Family Board Excellence Program

Give your board a shared foundation for long-term value creation.

A collaboration between Nordic Family Office, Scandinavian Executive Institute, and INSEAD

In family-owned and long-term businesses, board work goes beyond structure and formalities. It demands a deep understanding of ownership, relationships, generations, and leadership.
Together with Scandinavian Executive Institute and INSEAD, Nordic Family Office has developed a program that provides a complete platform for professional board work—tailored to family enterprises, rooted in Nordic values, and aligned with international best practices.

The program combines:

• Two modules led by Nordic Family Office – focused on family ownership, governance, personal insight, and values-based leadership
• A six-day international board program delivered by Scandinavian Executive Institute and INSEAD – split into two modules, one held in Norway and one on INSEAD’s campus in Fontainebleau, France

What will you gain as a participant?

• A comprehensive understanding of the complexities of family-owned enterprises—and how they influence board work
• Access to world-class international board training—consistently rated top-tier by participants
• Increased personal and relational capacity as both board member and owner
• A strong peer network of owners, board members, and executives with ties to family business

Who is the program for?

• Current and future owners in family-owned enterprises
• Board members seeking deeper understanding of family ownership and governance
• Senior executives working closely with owners and boards in family businesses

Practical Information & Enrollment

• Program start: April 2026
• Enrollment opens: August 2025 (limited seats available)
• Language: Instruction in both Norwegian and English
• Price & terms: Contact us for full details regarding price, travel, and accommodation

Program Structure

Module Overviews

Module 1 · Board Work in Family Businesses – Roles, Dynamics, and Emotions

In this opening module, we explore the unique complexity that defines family businesses—and how this impacts board dynamics. We look closely at how roles such as owner, board member, executive, and family member often overlap, creating tensions, loyalties, and emotional undercurrents not typically found in other ownership structures.

You’ll gain insight into:

• What defines a family enterprise
• How ownership impacts governance
• The crucial clarification of roles: Ownership – Board – Executive Management
• Emotional intelligence and family dynamics in the boardroom
• Common governance challenges—and practical ways to address them
• How trust, psychological safety, and communication form the foundation for effective boards

Format: Short expert inputs, case work, personal reflection, and peer dialogue. Participants are invited to share experiences—both professional and personal.

Duration: 1 day · Location: Oslo · Provider: Nordic Family Office

Module 2 · Executive Board Programme – Part 1

World-class international board training

This first part of the Executive Board Programme takes place in Norway and focuses on:

• Corporate governance in a Norwegian legal context
• Strategic leadership, responsibilities, and duties
• Effective board communication

Duration: 2 days · Location: Oslo · Provider: Scandinavian Executive Institute

Read more here: Executive Board Programme overview at INSEAD

Module 3 · The Professional Board and the Owners // Personal Insight and Influence

Et profesjonelt styre har klare roller og mandater, og består av en gruppe mennesker, med sin kompetanse og sine egenskaper. I denne modulen ser vi på samspillet mellom eiere og styret, og på menneskene bak rollene.

Day 1: The Relationship Between Owners and the Board

This day focuses on alignment, trust, and clarity between owners and board members. We work with real case studies from family businesses to build bridges between theory and practice. Participants analyze past challenges and compare approaches—not to find “the right answer,” but to learn from real-life outcomes.

Topics include:

• Role clarity and mandate alignment
• Division of responsibilities and decision-making authority
• Building trust between private owners and the board
• Ownership strategy, board composition, and evaluation—from values to action
• What defines a truly professional board in practice

Day 2: Personal Insight and Influence

We shift focus to the individuals behind the roles:

• How do you lead and communicate under pressure?
• Becoming aware of patterns and emotional triggers
• Your influence: When are you effective—and when do you block dialogue?
• Exercises and guided conversations to strengthen relational capacity and presence

Format: A blend of expert input, personal reflection, group exercises, and guided dialogue. This module increases awareness of both the systems we operate in—and the person we bring into the room.

Duration: 2 days · Location: Oslo · Provider: Nordic Family Office

Module 4 · Executive Board Programme – Part 2

World-class international board training continues at INSEAD. Held on INSEAD’s campus in Fontainebleau, this module deepens your learning with a focus on:

• Value creation from financial and governance perspectives
• Effective and sound decision-making in the boardroom
• Building the right board for your business
• Governing Executives – The interaction between board and management
• Duration: 4 days · Location: Fontainebleau, France
• Provider: Scandinavian Executive Institute & INSEAD

Read more here: Executive Board Programme overview at INSEAD

Module 5 · Family Business Boards – What Now?

This digital closing session ties the program together and looks ahead. How do we apply the insights in real life? How do we ensure governance continuity, direction, and value creation—especially across generations?

In just three focused hours, we’ll explore:

• Key insights and takeaways from the full program
• Concrete steps to secure structure and continuity
• What happens after the program—and how to own your continued development
• Shared learning and experience exchange among participants

Format: Online facilitated conversation and reflection exercises, plus ready-to-use templates and tools.

Duration: 3 hours · Location: Digital · Provider: Nordic Family Office

About Scandinavian Executive Institute and INSEAD

Scandinavian Executive Institute is Scandinavia’s leading provider of international executive and board education. Since 2007, they have worked in close partnership with INSEAD—one of the world’s top business schools, known for its global outlook and academic excellence.

Together with these two high-quality partners, we offer The Family Board Excellence Program—a governance program designed for owners, board members, and executives in family enterprises. The goal: to strengthen governance competence and strategic capabilities.

Visit website: Executive education for senior leaders and board members