The global credit crisis and the resulting rescue plans have raised the specter of ongoing government involvement in corporate life. Public companies are now and will continue to be under a microscope to an extent they have never experienced before. Are boards equipped with the expertise to navigate successfully through this impending era of heightened scrutiny?

Today's boards will be expected to watch over an organization's various risks, while at the same time help corporate management develop strategies to cope with the myriad of regulatory and policy issues that may affect their businesses. This whitepaper indicates that it is more important than ever for nominating committees to consider candidates with strong backgrounds in government policy making. Best- in-class nominating committees will find it useful to broaden their search to include individuals with executive-level experience working in government and for public policy-making entities.