IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/acctfi/v66y2026i2p1571-1593.html

The Power of Professional Expertise: Unravelling the Boardroom Diversity Puzzle Through a Machine Learning Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Fernando Hernández‐Atienza
  • Juan Antonio Rodríguez‐Sanz
  • Benjamín Sahelices
  • Fernando Tejerina‐Gaite
  • César Vaca

Abstract

This study examines how board expertise diversity influences firm performance using a novel machine learning approach to classify directors' professional backgrounds. Drawing on data from Spanish listed firms, we develop multidimensional expertise profiles that capture multiple skills held by each director. Results show that expertise diversity enhances firm performance, particularly when measured using continuous indices, and that specific expertise types—such as financial, CEO, consulting and academic—create the greatest value. The effects vary substantially across industries, with innovation‐oriented sectors benefiting the most in contrast to more capital‐intensive sectors. These findings highlight the importance of board composition tailored to the firm context.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernando Hernández‐Atienza & Juan Antonio Rodríguez‐Sanz & Benjamín Sahelices & Fernando Tejerina‐Gaite & César Vaca, 2026. "The Power of Professional Expertise: Unravelling the Boardroom Diversity Puzzle Through a Machine Learning Approach," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 66(2), pages 1571-1593, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:66:y:2026:i:2:p:1571-1593
    DOI: 10.1111/acfi.70223
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/acfi.70223
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/acfi.70223?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eitan Goldman & Jörg Rocholl & Jongil So, 2009. "Do Politically Connected Boards Affect Firm Value?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(6), pages 2331-2360, June.
    2. Adams, Renée B. & Ferreira, Daniel, 2009. "Women in the boardroom and their impact on governance and performance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 291-309, November.
    3. Teemu Makkonen, 2022. "Board diversity and firm innovation: a meta-analysis," European Journal of Innovation Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 25(6), pages 941-960, February.
    4. An, Heng & Chen, Carl R. & Wu, Qun & Zhang, Ting, 2021. "Corporate Innovation: Do Diverse Boards Help?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 155-182, February.
    5. Husam Aldamen & Keith Duncan & Simone Kelly & Ray McNamara & Stephan Nagel, 2012. "Audit committee characteristics and firm performance during the global financial crisis," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 52(4), pages 971-1000, December.
    6. Elizabeth Webb, 2004. "An Examination of Socially Responsible Firms’ Board Structure," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 8(3), pages 255-277, June.
    7. Talavera, Oleksandr & Yin, Shuxing & Zhang, Mao, 2018. "Age diversity, directors' personal values, and bank performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 60-79.
    8. Bill Francis & Iftekhar Hasan & Qiang Wu, 2015. "Professors in the Boardroom and Their Impact on Corporate Governance and Firm Performance," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 44(3), pages 547-581, September.
    9. Minton, Bernadette A. & Taillard, Jérôme P. & Williamson, Rohan, 2014. "Financial Expertise of the Board, Risk Taking, and Performance: Evidence from Bank Holding Companies," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(2), pages 351-380, April.
    10. Stephen Gray & John Nowland, 2017. "The diversity of expertise on corporate boards in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(2), pages 429-463, June.
    11. Kevin Campbell & Antonio Mínguez-Vera, 2008. "Gender Diversity in the Boardroom and Firm Financial Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 83(3), pages 435-451, December.
    12. Aggarwal, Raj & Jindal, Varun & Seth, Rama, 2019. "Board diversity and firm performance: The role of business group affiliation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 1-1.
    13. Alan I. Murray, 1989. "Top management group heterogeneity and firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(S1), pages 125-141, June.
    14. Rüdiger Fahlenbrach & Bernadette A. Minton & Carrie H. Pan, 2011. "Former CEO Directors: Lingering CEOs or Valuable Resources?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(10), pages 3486-3518.
    15. Larelle Chapple & Jacquelyn Humphrey, 2014. "Does Board Gender Diversity Have a Financial Impact? Evidence Using Stock Portfolio Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(4), pages 709-723, July.
    16. Nuria Reguera-Alvarado & Pilar Fuentes & Joaquina Laffarga, 2017. "Does Board Gender Diversity Influence Financial Performance? Evidence from Spain," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 141(2), pages 337-350, March.
    17. Jiatao Li & Haoyuan Ding & Yichuan Hu & Guoguang Wan, 2021. "Dealing with dynamic endogeneity in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(3), pages 339-362, April.
    18. Muhammad Ali & Yin Ng & Carol Kulik, 2014. "Board Age and Gender Diversity: A Test of Competing Linear and Curvilinear Predictions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 125(3), pages 497-512, December.
    19. Jing Lu & Irene M. Herremans, 2019. "Board gender diversity and environmental performance: An industries perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(7), pages 1449-1464, November.
    20. Nishant Dass & Omesh Kini & Vikram Nanda & Bunyamin Onal & Jun Wang, 2014. "Board Expertise: Do Directors from Related Industries Help Bridge the Information Gap?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 27(5), pages 1533-1592.
    21. Kim, Haksoon & Lim, Chanwoo, 2010. "Diversity, outside directors and firm valuation: Korean evidence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 284-291, March.
    22. Chen, Sheng-Syan & Chen, Yan-Shing & Kang, Jun-Koo & Peng, Shu-Cing, 2020. "Board structure, director expertise, and advisory role of outside directors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(2), pages 483-503.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hernández-Atienza, Fernando & Rodríguez-Sanz, Juan Antonio & Tejerina-Gaite, Fernando, 2024. "The pathways of board diversity in European contexts: Exploring the influence of director types on firm performance," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(PA).
    2. Um‐E‐Roman Fayyaz & Raja Nabeel‐Ud‐Din Jalal & Michelina Venditti & Antonio Minguez‐Vera, 2023. "Diverse boards and firm performance: The role of environmental, social and governance disclosure," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(3), pages 1457-1472, May.
    3. Luiz Eduardo Gaio & Angela Christina Lucas & Johan Hendrik Poker Junior & Marcio Marcelo Belli, 2024. "Gender diversity in management and corporate financial performance: A systematic literature review," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4047-4067, September.
    4. Stephen Gray & John Nowland, 2017. "The diversity of expertise on corporate boards in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(2), pages 429-463, June.
    5. Mustafa K. Yilmaz & Umit Hacioglu & Ekrem Tatoglu & Mine Aksoy & Selman Duran, 2023. "Measuring the impact of board gender and cultural diversity on corporate governance and social performance: evidence from emerging markets," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(2), pages 2106503-210, December.
    6. Alharbi, Rana & Elnahass, Marwa & McLaren, Josie, 2022. "Women directors and market valuation: What are the “Wonder Woman” attributes in banking?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    7. Aggarwal, Raj & Jindal, Varun & Seth, Rama, 2019. "Board diversity and firm performance: The role of business group affiliation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 1-1.
    8. Um‐E‐Roman Fayyaz & Raja Nabeel‐Ud‐Din Jalal & Michelina Venditti & Gianluca Antonucci, 2025. "Task‐Based Board Diversity, Firm Performance, and the Mediating Role of Corporate Sustainability Practices," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(6), pages 6906-6924, September.
    9. Nermeen Shehata & Ahmed Salhin & Moataz El-Helaly, 2017. "Board diversity and firm performance: evidence from the U.K. SMEs," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(48), pages 4817-4832, October.
    10. Zuriawati Zakaria & Noorfaiz Purhanudin & Ahmad Nazri Wahidudin, 2018. "The Role of Board Governance On Bank Performance," International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies, Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 7(4), pages 38-50, October.
    11. Laura Cabeza-García & Esther B. Brío & Carlos Rueda, 2021. "The moderating effect of innovation on the gender and performance relationship in the outset of the gender revolution," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 755-778, April.
    12. Viput Ongsakul & Anutchanat Jaroenjitrkam & Sirimon Treepongkaruna & Pornsit Jiraporn, 2022. "Does board gender diversity reduce ‘CEO luck’?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(1), pages 243-260, March.
    13. Xu, Huaining & Liu, Shasha & Kong, Gaowen, 2025. "Differences make a difference: Board diversity and enterprise digital transformation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 545-558.
    14. Belaounia, Samia & Tao, Ran & Zhao, Hong, 2020. "Gender equality's impact on female directors’ efficacy: A multi-country study," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(5).
    15. Chen, Jun & Garel, Alexandre & Tourani-Rad, Alireza, 2019. "The value of academics: Evidence from academic independent director resignations in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 393-414.
    16. Pei Chu & Mohamed Elsayed & Yousry Ahmed, 2025. "Do women in the boardroom influence foreign acquisitions' premium and outcomes? Evidence from China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(2), pages 1163-1189, April.
    17. Felix Kwabena Danso & Michael Adusei & Beatrice Sarpong-Danquah & Kwadwo Boateng Prempeh, 2024. "Board expertise diversity and firm performance in sub-Saharan Africa: do firm age and size matter?," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-20, December.
    18. Nguyen, Thi Hong Hanh & Ntim, Collins G. & Malagila, John K., 2020. "Women on corporate boards and corporate financial and non-financial performance: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    19. Tien‐Minh Pham & Marian Rizov & Xuan Vinh Vo, 2025. "Board Gender Diversity and Firm Performance in an Emerging Economy: The Role of Women Directors' Attributes," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(4), pages 4063-4081, October.
    20. Mushtaq Hussain Khan & Mohammad Bitar & Amine Tarazi & Arshad Hassan & Ahmad Fraz, 2021. "Corruption and bank risk-taking: The deterring role of Shari'ah supervision," Working Papers hal-03366460, HAL.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:66:y:2026:i:2:p:1571-1593. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aaanzea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.