Eigenschaften von Verwaltungsräten und Unternehmensperformance

We investigate the performance of 95 board members of listed Swiss companies over 12 years. We identify quantitatively measurable characteristics of board members and test for a relationship between board member characteristics and firm performance. As a proxy for firm performance, we use the performance of the firm's stock relative to a benchmark index. The number of board memberships appears to be negatively related to performance, possibly caused by loss of focus or excessive workload. On the other hand, the age of a board member as well as combined Chairman/CEO positions tend to affect performance positively. No significant relationship is found for duration of board membership, nationality or gender.