The majority of board directors lack sufficient skills and knowledge to understand and provide guidance on technology challenges. That’s one of the findings from a 2021 survey by the Institute of Directors of South Africa (IoDSA) on the application of technology governance by boards. The survey polled 480 directors, and, of those, 48% said the levels of tech expertise on boards was below average and 12% categorised it as poor.

With such low levels of specialised knowledge in the area, it’s perhaps not surprising that 38% of respondents said they spend less than 10 minutes discussing technology at board meetings. Only 9% said they spend longer than 30 minutes on the topic. However, 46% of respondents believe sufficient time is being spent on discussions around technology.