The Chair : One seat. One guest. One conversation that matters.
The Chair is a podcast on Governance and Strategy hosted by Najia Belbal, designed for leaders who want focused, practical conversations on boardroom strategy, corporate governance, and value creation.
One seat. One guest. One conversation that matters.
Welcome to The Chair, a podcast on governance and strategy for people who want less fluff and more signal. Hosted by Najia Belbal, this show digs into how modern boards actually work, how they set strategy, steward growth, and build the stakeholder trust that keeps companies moving forward.
If you’ve ever wondered how high-performing boards make better strategic decisions, how governance can be a lever (not a brake) on innovation, or how the role of the board is evolving in a faster, riskier world, pull up a seat. You’re in the right room.
What’s The Chair all about?
The Chair podcast brings you crisp, real-world conversations with the leaders shaping the future of business: chairpersons, board directors, CEOs, founders, investors, and domain experts. Each episode is intentionally focused: one chair, one guest, one conversation that matters.
No endless chatter. No buzzword bingo. Thoughtful and practical insights you can apply.
You’ll hear frank talk about:
How boards sharpen strategic decision-making under uncertainty
What it takes to align governance with growth, especially in high-velocity markets
The board’s evolving role as technology, regulation, and stakeholder expectations shift
In short, it’s a governance podcast designed for individuals seeking actionable insights, not just theoretical concepts.
Meet your host: Najia Belbal
Over the past 20 years, Najia Belbal has worked across Europe, the UK, and the GCC, supporting high-growth startups, multinational companies, and family-owned businesses. Her mission? Redesign governance for outcomes and deliver strategy.
She’s helped boards:
Align structures with strategy (so decisions actually get delivered)
Clarify roles, charters, and rhythms to reduce friction
Build credibility with stakeholders and regulators
Embed governance as a growth enabler, not a compliance checkbox
That lived experience, paired with curiosity and empathy, shapes every episode of The Chair podcast. The tone is candid and grounded, the insights are practical, and the goal is simple: help you lead better in the boardroom and beyond.
Why The Chair? and why now?
Because governance conversations deserve to feel different. The business landscape is moving fast: AI, geopolitics, climate risk, shifting capital markets, and new disclosure rules.
Boards are being asked to do more, make decisions faster, and govern more effectively. That demands conversations that are clear, focused, and useful.
The Chair aims to be your go-to resource for boardroom strategy in a noisy world, bringing fresh perspectives from leaders who’ve done the work, wrestled with trade-offs, and delivered outcomes.
“One seat. One guest. One conversation that matters.”
That’s not just a tagline, it’s the operating system of the show.
What you’ll learn (episode after episode)
Better strategic decisions: How top boards structure debate, surface dissent, and move from options to action, without killing innovation and speed.
Governance that fuels growth: The minor structural tweaks that unlock execution (and the big ones that derail it).
The Evolving Role of Boards: From Risk Oversight to Culture, AI Governance, Cybersecurity, Stakeholder Engagement, and Beyond.
Boardroom dynamics: Chair–CEO alignment, committee performance, onboarding, succession, and director effectiveness.
Playbooks you can use: Meeting agendas that work, dashboards that matter, and board materials people actually read.
You’ll hear concrete frameworks, candid stories, and moments of humility that make the lessons stick.
What makes this board governance podcast different?
Focus on filler. Every conversation earns its keep.
Operator energy. Guests bring lived experience, not just talking points.
Global lens. Insights from Europe, the UK, the GCC, and beyond.
Actionable takeaways. Expect checklists, questions, and analysis you can bring to your next board meeting.
A taste of Season 1 themes
Without spoiling the surprise of the lineup and episodes, here are the kinds of conversations you can expect:
From governance to growth: Aligning board calendars, committees, and KPIs with strategy delivery.
Scaling fast, governing smart: What hypergrowth companies get wrong, and how to fix it early.
AI in the boardroom: Oversight without overreach; the ethics, risks, and opportunities directors must understand now.
Family business governance: Navigating legacy, succession, and strategy with grace and rigor.
Purpose, ESG, and real value creation: Beyond labels, how the best boards tie impact to cash flow and risk-adjusted returns.
Crisis readiness: Scenario planning, decision rights, and “practice reps” for when it counts.
Each episode wraps with practical questions you can bring straight to your board table.
Who is The Chair for?
Chairs & Non-Executive Directors who want sharper meetings and better decisions.
CEOs & Founders who need aligned boards that accelerate, not slow, execution.
C-levels who translate strategy into oversight and delivery.
Investors seeking governance that protects value and unlocks upside.
Rising leaders curious about how real boardrooms think, decide, and lead.
Whether you lead a listed company, a family enterprise, a VC-backed startup, or an NGO, The Chair podcast meets you where you are, with relevance and respect.
“What started as a dream turned into reality thanks to a fantastic team across the globe.
Why The Chair? Because governance conversations deserve to feel different.
Not endless chatter, but focused exchanges on value creation, innovation, and impact.
One seat. One guest. One conversation that matters.
I’ve had the privilege of sitting down with inspiring leaders whose insights challenged and humbled me.
The journey begins, join me.” —Najia
Where to listen (and how to be part of it)
The Chair podcast is rolling out across major platforms. Here’s how to plug in:
Subscribe on your favorite app so new episodes land automatically.
Share an episode with your board or leadership team, swap notes in your next meeting.
Nominate a guest whose perspective would raise the bar.
Send a question you'd like to ask on-air: a tricky governance dilemma? We’re all ears.
Would you like to partner, sponsor, or suggest a topic? Reach out and let’s create something that drives real value.
Why this matters now (and always)
Great governance isn’t about more paperwork; it’s about clear decisions, fast learning, and consistent delivery. In a world that’s only getting messier, the boards that win are the ones that turn ambiguity into action. The Chair podcast brings you behind the scenes so you can do that with more confidence and less noise.
If you care about corporate governance, boardroom strategy, and learning from practitioners who’ve walked the path, make The Chair podcast part of your learning stack.
Before you take your seat
Pull up a chair, literally.
Subscribe, listen, and bring the prompts into your following board conversation. Then tell us what landed, what didn’t, and what you want to hear next. If you’re ready to elevate how your board thinks, decides, and delivers, The Chair podcast is your new home base.
One seat. One guest. One conversation that matters.
See you in the boardroom.