Private Company Director’s Directors to Watch 2026 highlights 29 significant and diverse directors who have contributed to and will continue to expand ongoing dialogue on board best practices and corporate governance excellence.
Jane P. Newton
Jane P. Newton, CFP, MBA, is an experienced corporate board director with expertise in governance, succession planning, M&A strategy and compensation. As a director and compensation committee member at RegentAtlantic Capital (now Corient Private Wealth), she oversaw CEO succession and leadership transitions, including hiring the firm’s first outside CEO, and guided the 2021 merger with Corient, ensuring client continuity, fiduciary integrity and expanded opportunities for employees. A former partner and wealth advisor with prior investment banking experience at J.P. Morgan, Newton brings capital allocation acumen, talent-aligned compensation policies and strategic M&A experience to board deliberations. She is recognized for delivering strategic clarity, sound fiduciary judgment and a collaborative, forward-looking governance approach that strengthens organizational resilience and long-term value.
Playing offense and defense. “In today’s environment of accelerating change, effective governance demands a dual mindset. Boards must protect enterprise value while also partnering proactively with management to identify where calculated risk can unlock growth. Too often, risk is framed defensively. High-performing boards reframe risk as a strategic asset, aligning it with the company’s goals, capital priorities and risk appetite. By intentionally encouraging diverse perspectives in the boardroom, directors can support innovation, resilience and fiduciary responsibility while strengthening long-term value creation.”