Better Boards Conference 2026
Pathfinders – Governing with Courage
31 July - 1 August • Cairns Convention Centre
Presentation
Risk It to Lead It
Vera Visevic
Partner, Mills Oakley
Vera is a partner in the Sydney Not-For-Profit, Human Rights & Social Impact team at Mills Oakley. Acting for numerous charities, religious and not-for-profit organisations, Vera has over 30 years’ experience in the legal profession. In her work, Vera is well recognised for her expertise in assisting clients with governance and fundraising issues, restructuring and mergers and regularly advises on constitutions and ACNC/ATO endorsements.
Vera has written several academic works, including a chapter within ‘Charity Law’ (2012, 2016 and 2018) published by Thomson Reuters.
Vera sits on numerous charity boards, associations and committees including the ACNC Charity Forum; the Community and Consumer Consultative Group, Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW and Catholic Care, Diocese of Parramatta.
We live in an ever-changing world. We are subject to incessant changes in technology and climate, and daily headlines detail fickle global relationships, leaders and economies.
For many charities and not-for-profits, the environment of constant change may, over time, tempt them into an attitude of fear, resulting in their boards persisting with the same old programs, services and decisions in terror of adverse consequences and potential personal liability from taking risks.
Boards can thus be afraid to branch out and make big, bold and courageous decisions.
In this session, Vera will give both directors and management guidance on having the courage to make risky but robust decisions in our changing times, through the lens of the business judgment rule defence contained in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the ACNC Governance Standards.
By studying recent court cases on the business judgment rule, this session will cover:
- What steps directors can take to ensure they are making robust courageous decisions;
- What directors can do to identify and mitigate risks;
- What innovation can look like in the boardroom; and
- What protections are in place for directors when a risky decision leads to adverse outcomes.
Master the art of the boardroom
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