Governance Bites #102: startup governance and advisory boards, with Jon Davies

Governance Bites

Governance Bites
Governance Bites #102: startup governance and advisory boards, with Jon Davies
May 29, 2025 Season 11 Episode 2
Mark Banicevich, Jon Davies

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In this episode, Mark Banicevich talks with Jon Davies about governance in startups and advisory boards. He asks about the journey that startups take towards governance: their value, common mistakes, what founders should seek, and the ideal size of an advisory board. They also discuss the best way to remunerate directors, keeping them engaged and motivated, and how to deal with an adviser who isn't working out. Jon also shares advice with a founder looking into structured governance. 
Jon Davies is the CEO of InsuredHQ, an award-winning insurtech headquartered in New Zealand, helping modernize insurance companies across global markets. Jon trained in marine biology and zoology, worked as an professional outdoor guide and paramedic in the USA, and move into technology in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. He built a career working with and inside startups, scaleups, and giants like Microsoft, NASA, and Yammer. He later served as Tech Sector Lead for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and sits on advisory boards including the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. He’s also the author of the Top 10 in Tech newsletter and a passionate advocate for using technology to make industries more human, efficient, and future-ready.
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