LOS ANGELES, December 18, 2008 – The Korn/Ferry Institute, the global leadership development and thought leadership think tank of Korn/Ferry International (NYSE:KFY), announced today the findings of the 34th Annual Board of Directors Study, a survey and analysis of proxies and individual directors at Fortune 1000 companies.

The annual study provides detailed perspective on the state of the boardroom, offering the following highlights:

• While it is increasingly challenging to recruit high-quality directors, boards are having greater success recruiting directors with specialized skills
• Directors serve on fewer boards, but are working twice as many hours per board
• Board size has decreased over time, to an average of 10 directors
• Regulatory and financial pressures of the last several years have inhibited boards from the work of real strategy
• While woman and ethnic minorities have increased representation in the boardroom, there is still not equality
• Directors are growing more comfortable with the idea of being evaluated for their individual job performance and that of the board as a whole
• CEO succession and executive compensation continue to be a major concern

“The events of recent months have highlighted the challenges and opportunities for governance in the boardroom,” said Steve Mader, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Korn/Ferry Board Services. “Boards of directors must be equipped with qualified, diverse directors in order to be prepared for today’s tumultuous environment.”

Methodology
Korn/Ferry’s 34th Annual Board of Directors Study was based on questionnaire responses from almost 800 directors from premier organizations in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America, as well as a quantitative analysis of proxy data from 891 Fortune 1000 organizations.

About The Korn/Ferry Institute
The Korn/Ferry Institute was founded to serve as a premier global voice on a range of talent management and leadership issues. The Institute commissions, originates and publishes groundbreaking research utilizing Korn/Ferry’s unparalleled expertise in executive recruitment and talent development combined with its preeminent behavioral research library. The Institute is dedicated to improving the state of global human capital for businesses of all sizes around the world. For more information on the Korn/Ferry Institute, visit www.kornferryinstitute.com.

About Korn/Ferry International
Korn/Ferry International, with more than 90 offices in 39 countries, is a premier global provider of talent management solutions. Based in Los Angeles, the firm delivers an array of solutions that help clients to identify, deploy, develop, retain and reward their talent. For more information on the Korn/Ferry International family of companies, visit www.kornferry.com.

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