April 2025 TNI CIO Forum – Governance Session Summary

The April 2025 TNI CIO Forum IC governance learning session focuses on improving investment committee effectiveness, emphasizing that weak governance often stems from unclear roles between boards and investment teams. The central recommendation is the adoption of regular, structured board orientation meetings to align committee members on responsibilities, investment policy, risk ownership, and broader institutional context—topics often neglected in routine IC meetings. Best practices highlighted include small committee size, strong chair leadership, formal induction and probation for new members, and clear delegation of decisions.

The discussion also notes how endowment size affects governance and strategy, with scale offering advantages in access and talent but potentially reducing agility, underscoring the importance of governance structures that preserve clarity, accountability, and nimbleness.