Corporate Governance in Financial Markets Certification Programme

Corporate governance has become a decisive factor in the resilience, competitiveness and attractiveness of capital markets. Investors increasingly look beyond financial performance alone. They assess how companies are governed, how boards oversee strategy and risk, how transparently information is disclosed, and how organisations respond to sustainability, technology and stakeholder expectations.

In this context, effective governance is no longer only a compliance requirement. It is a strategic enabler of trust, long-term value creation and market confidence.

Through this programme, participants gain a structured understanding of the governance capabilities required in listed companies and financial markets environments — from capital markets foundations and investor relations to ESG, risk governance, cybersecurity oversight and the final capstone experience in Amsterdam.

This certification programme is designed for senior professionals who operate in or around listed companies, financial institutions and capital markets.

It is especially relevant for:

• Board directors and supervisory board members
• Executive and non-executive directors
• CEOs, CFOs, general counsels and C-suite leaders
• Company secretaries and governance professionals
• Investor relations professionals
• Risk, compliance, audit and legal professionals
• ESG and sustainability leaders
• Professionals from banks, asset management companies and financial institutions
• Leaders preparing for board mandates in listed or listing-ready companies
• Professionals seeking to strengthen their capital markets governance expertise at European level

By the end of the programme, participants will strengthen their ability to understand and contribute to governance in financial markets and listed company environments.

Participants will gain:

• A stronger understanding of corporate governance in listed companies
• Capital markets fluency and a clearer view of how market infrastructure works
• Practical understanding of investor relations and stakeholder expectations
• Board-level perspective on ESG governance and sustainability reporting
• Knowledge of how to build and oversee an ESG governance framework
• Better understanding of risk governance, internal control and audit integration
• Insight into digital disruption, DORA, NIS2, AI governance and board oversight of cybersecurity
• Exposure to European regulatory developments relevant for boards and executive teams
• A final applied learning experience through the Amsterdam capstone module
• A certification delivered by Academy – Euronext Group and Envisia

The programme is structured as an advanced learning journey across capital markets, governance, sustainability, risk, technology and board-level decision-making.

Modules 1–4: Capital Markets Foundations & Investor Relations

Participants explore the foundations of financial markets, the role of stock exchanges, the logic of listed company governance and the expectations of investors and market stakeholders.
Key themes include:

• Capital markets ecosystem
• The role of the stock exchange
• Listed company governance
• Investor relations
• Disclosure, transparency and market confidence
• Shareholder and stakeholder expectations
• Governance implications of market access and public accountability

Module 5: ESG Governance and Sustainability Frameworks

This module focuses on the role of boards and executive teams in governing sustainability.

Participants explore the meaning and practical application of an environmental, social and governance framework, moving from ESG as a reporting obligation to ESG as a governance and strategic decision-making capability.
Key themes include:

• ESG governance framework
• ESG strategy framework
• Sustainability governance at board level
• CSRD and CSDDD implications
• ESG reporting and disclosure
• GRI reporting ESG standards
• ESG and access to sustainable funding
• Investor expectations around sustainability and responsible investing

Module 6: Governance, Risk and Compliance Integration

This module addresses how boards and executive teams should approach risk governance in complex and regulated environments.

Participants examine how financial and non-financial risks are identified, assessed and monitored, and how governance, risk and compliance processes can be integrated across the organisation.
Key themes include:

• Risk governance
• Governance, risk and compliance integration
• Internal audit and internal control
• Lines of defence
• ESG Enterprise Risk Management
• Financial and non-financial risk oversight
• Alignment between board committees, management and control functions

Module 7: Digital Governance and Disruption

Digital transformation is reshaping the board agenda. This module focuses on the governance implications of cybersecurity, operational resilience and emerging technologies.

Participants explore how boards should understand and oversee digital risk, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and new European regulatory frameworks.
Key themes include:

• Board oversight of cybersecurity
• Digital operational resilience
• DORA
• NIS2
• AI Act
• Technology risk governance
• Cyber resilience and critical infrastructure
• Responsible adoption of artificial intelligence

Module 8: Frameworks and tools for the implementation of governance models

This module shifts focus to the operational and structural dimensions of governance, examining how governance is designed, embedded and maintained within organisations.
Participants explore the role of the Company Secretary as a governance architect, the infrastructure that supports effective board functioning, and how governance operations can be orchestrated for consistency and performance.

Key themes include:

• Governance by design
• The Company Secretary as governance architect
• Governance infrastructure and board operations
• Board portal tools and digital governance support
• CoSec practice and compliance administration
• Orchestrating governance operations at scale

Module 9: Amsterdam Capstone Experience and Final Assessment

The programme concludes in Amsterdam with an immersive two-day capstone experience that brings together boardroom leadership, behavioural dynamics and final assessment.
The first day focuses on the art of boardroom leadership — how boards perform, how dynamics shape decisions, and how high-performing boards are assessed and developed. The second day moves into formal assessment, where participants present their projects and demonstrate the governance competencies developed throughout the programme. Key themes include:

• Board assessment and performance tools
• Board assessment simulation
• Boardroom behavioural dynamics
• High-performance board practices
• Experiential and peer learning
• Multiple-choice assessment
• Project presentations
• Certificate ceremony

Faculty

The programme is delivered by international experts from Academy – Euronext Group, Envisia and the wider capital markets, governance, ESG, risk and regulatory ecosystem.

Full faculty details will be announced soon.

Programme Format

Language: English
Format: Executive education programme with international faculty and applied learning components
Final module: Amsterdam capstone experience
Certification: Academy – Euronext Group and Envisia
Registration: Through Academy – Euronext Group

Optional if confirmed:
Final enrolment deadline: 17 September 2026

Programme Fees, Early Bird and Registration Details

The participation fee is:
Individual participation: €5,400 + VAT
Corporate package: €18,000 + VAT

Participants who register by 31 July 2026 benefit from a 10% Early Bird reduction.

To register, please access the official Academy – Euronext Group registration page.

1. What is the CGFM corporate governance certification?

The CGFM corporate governance certification is a specialized credential designed for professionals who want to strengthen their governance expertise in financial markets. It focuses on the realities of regulated financial institutions, including risk oversight, digital resilience, sustainability governance, capital requirements, and board-level accountability.

2. Who should consider a governance certificate focused on financial markets?

A financial markets governance certificate is suitable for board members, senior executives, risk leaders, compliance professionals, legal advisors, investors, and professionals preparing for board roles in banks, insurance companies, asset managers, private equity firms, fintechs, and scale-ups operating in regulated environments.

3. How is CGFM different from a general corporate governance certification?

A general corporate governance certification usually covers broad principles such as board roles, ethics, shareholder rights, and oversight duties. CGFM goes further by focusing on financial services governance, where boards must understand complex regulation, systemic risk, digital operations, sustainability reporting, and market-specific accountability.

4. Does CGFM help with board readiness?

Yes. CGFM functions as a board readiness program for professionals who want to operate confidently in financial services boardrooms. It helps participants understand how to challenge management, assess strategic risks, oversee regulatory obligations, and contribute to governance decisions in highly supervised markets.

5. Why are DORA, the AI Act, CSRD, and Basel III relevant for board members?

These frameworks affect how financial institutions manage technology, cyber resilience, artificial intelligence, sustainability reporting, due diligence, capital adequacy, and risk governance. Board members are increasingly expected to understand their strategic implications, not only delegate them to compliance or technical teams.

6. Is CGFM an IT governance certification?

CGFM is not a traditional IT governance certification, but it includes important digital governance topics relevant to financial institutions. It addresses board-level oversight of technology risk, operational resilience, cybersecurity, data governance, artificial intelligence, and regulatory expectations such as DORA and the AI Act.

7. Why does financial services governance require specialized training?

Financial services governance requires specialized training because financial institutions operate under higher regulatory scrutiny, stronger risk controls, and broader stakeholder expectations. Directors and senior leaders must understand prudential regulation, conduct risk, capital requirements, resilience, sustainability, and fiduciary duties in a sector where governance failures can have systemic consequences.

8. What makes a corporate governance certification valuable for board careers?

A valuable corporate governance certification should combine practical boardroom relevance, regulatory awareness, international recognition, expert faculty, assessment standards, and ongoing learning requirements. For financial services professionals, the strongest programs also connect governance theory with sector-specific risks and supervisory expectations.

9. Why are CPD hours important for maintaining a governance credential?

CPD hours help ensure that certified professionals continue updating their knowledge as regulations, market practices, and board responsibilities evolve. In financial services, ongoing learning is especially important because frameworks such as DORA, the AI Act, CSRD, CSDDD, and Basel standards continue to reshape governance expectations.

10. Is CGFM relevant only for current board members?

No. CGFM is also relevant for executives, advisors, entrepreneurs, investors, and high-potential professionals preparing for future board mandates. It is particularly useful for those who want to build credibility in financial services governance before taking on formal non-executive or supervisory responsibilities.