Henry (Hank) Boerner

Henry (Hank) Boerner is a strategist, trendwatcher, researcher, author, editor & publisher, and “sentinel” who detects and frames critical emerging trends as these affect and influence leaders and their organizations.

He is expert in crafting effective strategies for addressing and scoping critical issues and resolving real or potential crisis situations that affect corporate, public and social sector organizations, and has been a trusted senior advisor to executives and boards in these sectors in the United States and other countries for more than three decades.

Hank has broad and deep experience as a critical issues management and crisis management as employee and advisor & consultant serving Fortune 500 companies, multinational business enterprises, not-for-profit and other social sector institutions, public sector officials and agencies, and other types of organizations.  He has extensive experience in such management functions as critical issues management, strategic corporate communications, crisis preparedness & response, critical event management, media relations, editing and publishing, financial markets communications, and management consulting.

He served as board member and chair of the Issues Management Council, a global professional membership organization for people whose work is focused on managing issues and for advancing the issue management process, which is used to align organizational activities and stakeholder expectations.

His worldview: “The critical issues of the 21st Century that challenge individual leaders and their institutions in all sectors can be grouped in the important ‘E,’ ‘S’ and ‘G’ buckets of issues. It’s really all about (e)nvironmental and (e)nergy responsibility and performance, how organizations address and manage their own and stakeholders’ (s)ocial or societal issues, and the organization’s corporate and institutional (g)overnance factors.” 

“These ESG” Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are of growing important to investors and stakeholders, influencing reputations and valuations.  Along with desired financial performance these signal “sustainability” (or not) to stockholders and stakeholders as they view corporations – those they invest in, partner with, do business with, supply, or work for -- through the prism of the company’s ESG and Sustainability performance.

“And while the importance of sustainable and responsible performance is especially critical for corporate leaders and boards, it is also just as important as ‘good and responsible governance’ indicators for social and public sector leaders.”

Hank is recognized for his expertise in dealing with a broad range of ESG factors and issues, especially those related to corporate and institutional governance, institutional accountability, corporate responsibility practices, social investment, environmental management, sustainable and responsible investment (SRI), shareholder activism, and more.

Tapping his decades of research and publishing experience for this work, he publishes in professional and trade publications (print and electronic), including Corporate Finance Review (Thomson-Reuters), as contributing editor and corporate governance commentator; as editor of the monthly NIRI IR Update; as contributing editor to Investor Relations Newsletter; and other publications.  He began his career as a business and financial journalist and has worked in print publishing, broadcast news, and for the past decade in Web-based and electronic publishing.    

Much of his professional work, including extensive writing for today’s management and professional audiences, is based on his ability to detect, identify, analyze & quantify, monitor, and communicate on emerging trends that do or will directly affect business corporations, public sector agencies, institutions and non-profits, and trade and professional associations.

Hank Boerner retired from the former Rowan & Blewitt global issue and crisis management organization in summer 2007. The 23-year old brand was retired when all senior partners of the management consulting retired; R&B was founded in 1984; Hank served as Managing Director – New York, 1992-2007.  Interpublic Group (NYSE-IPG) acquired Rowan & Blewitt in 1999.

For more information on Hank Boerner's career, click here.