NEW YORK - Time published an op-ed by Jamaal Glenn arguing that corporate board diversity must include age, independence, and the skills needed to oversee emerging business risks.
Using the Theranos scandal as a starting point, Glenn examined how a prestigious board can still fail when directors share similar experiences and lack relevant technical knowledge. The issue was not simply that the board was old. It was that its composition left it poorly equipped to question a fast-moving health technology company.
Glenn proposed treating age as an explicit diversity criterion when filling board seats. He pointed to interview requirements modeled on the Rooney Rule so nominating committees must consider candidates from age groups missing from the current board.
The op-ed also made the broader case that board composition should track a company's risks, workforce, and customers. Independence matters only if directors have the confidence and knowledge to challenge management.
Age diversity, in this framing, is part of building a board with current operating knowledge, varied professional networks, and a wider view of how technology and work are changing.
About Jamaal Glenn
Jamaal Glenn is an executive, investor, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, and board director. He is Chief Financial Officer of SoLo Funds and founder and CEO of JG Holdings. He chairs The Pivot Fund and serves as a board director, treasurer, and audit committee chair at LION Publishers.