The Corporate Governance Awards 2026 has added three new judges to its panel, with each offering a clear message to companies planning to enter: the strongest submissions are the ones that show exactly how good governance made a difference.
Joining the panel this year are Hope Mehlman, chief legal, corporate affairs officer and corporate secretary at Ally Financial, Patricia McLeod, board chair at Cavvy Energy and FutEra Power, and Michael Benedict Yamoah, stewardship director at EOS at Federated Hermes.
Speaking to Governance Intelligence, each new judge has emphasized that awards entries should be specific, credible and easy to assess. For governance teams preparing submissions, that means explaining the challenge, the response and the outcome without relying on broad claims or generic language.
For Mehlman, recognition of governance excellence is particularly important in an environment defined by rapid change and heightened expectations from stakeholders. She emphasized that strong governance remains a critical foundation for maintaining trust and delivering sustainable long-term value.
‘In today’s fast-changing environment, strong corporate governance is essential to sustaining trust and long-term value,’ she added. ‘Recognizing excellence reinforces the accountability and integrity that enable organizations to lead with purpose.’
Meanwhile, McLeod highlighted the role of intellectual curiosity and the willingness to challenge assumptions. In her view, exceptional governance leaders are distinguished by their ability to encourage difficult conversations before problems escalate into crises.
‘Governance leaders who truly stand out are those who can support the board in combining rigorous intellectual curiosity with the courage to ask uncomfortable questions – before a crisis forces the conversation,’ she noted.
‘It's about setting a tone where transparency and accountability are genuinely embedded in the work of the board and how the organization operates, not just how it reports.’
Finally, Yamoah encouraged organizations to approach their submissions as ‘governance case studies’. Rather than focusing exclusively on achievements, he suggested that companies clearly outline the challenge they faced, explain how the board and governance team responded and provide evidence of the results that followed.
‘Be candid about the challenge, clear about how the board and governance team responded and precise about the results,’ he explained.
‘Judges are looking for evidence that good governance is embedded in strategy and culture, not just in policies and reports.’
This year’s ceremony will be held on November 5 at The Cipriani in New York. Organizers have also launched a new entry form and updated entry guidelines, with the aim of making grading criteria clearer and the process more transparent.
The wider panel also includes returning judges Joan Conley, board member at Tigo Energy, Matt Geekie, senior vice president, secretary and general counsel at Graybar, and Eileen Kamerick, non-executive director at ACV Auctions, Legg Mason Closed End Funds, AIG Funds, Associated Banc-Corp and Hochschild Mining.
That view also reflects feedback from last year’s panel. As one judge put it: ‘One thing that truly differentiates nominees is when it’s obvious, they have taken the time to truly think about what they’ve done, that is unique and how it plays into their company brand. The use of storytelling is powerful.’
Another added: ‘We need entrants to truly justify why the nominee deserves the award and what drives that justification. Please do not restate the Proxy.’
With a refreshed panel and a clearer entry process, this year’s awards give companies a better opportunity to show how governance works in practice.
Natalie Bannerman
Natalie is a former telecoms and infrastructure journalist, a role she held for nearly seven years. Before this, she worked in the B2C startup space, covering lifestyle, arts and culture reporting. As senior reporter for Governance Intelligence she...
