You need to have a board of directors, but it doesn't have to be large. In fact, you can be the only member of your board when you're starting out.They are responsible for overseeing the work of the management team, including the chief executive officer and other C-suite executives. The Board of Directors. Currently many of the largest companies have boards which are filled with people who are the current CEOs and executives of other companies. Understanding the purpose of your board and the roles for directors and officer will help you effectively hit the ground running after incorporation. Corporate board positions are actually the true "silver lining" to being in the executive class. A board of directors is a group of people at a company who oversee upper management and provide guidance on highlevel strategic decisions. Directors sit on the board of directors and collectively govern and oversee the entity. Ask board members their most important duty, and they will likely say it is appointing and overseeing the CEO.