CEO's Rules for Managing a Board

Andrew Feldman's advice comes from a career of navigating the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley startups. Before co-founding Cerebras Systems in 2015, he was the CEO of SeaMicro, a microserver company he sold to AMD for $334 million. This experience managing boards and investors has been crucial in his current role, guiding Cerebras through the competitive AI chip industry. Cerebras is a key player in the race to develop powerful processors for artificial intelligence, a market where it competes directly with giants like Nvidia. The company designs and builds some of the largest and fastest AI processors in the world, a feat that requires significant capital and investor confidence. This high-pressure environment underscores the importance of clear and consistent communication with a company's board of directors. The company's growth has been fueled by substantial venture capital, with a recent funding round in February 2026 raising $1 billion and valuing the company at $23 billion. Such large-scale investment brings high expectations from the board, making the principle of "no bad news surprises" particularly critical. For a company in a capital-intensive industry like semiconductor manufacturing, maintaining investor trust is paramount for long-term success. The Phoenix area has a growing technology sector, with a mix of large established companies and emerging startups. For executives in this ecosystem, Feldman's rules on staying non-defensive and thoughtfully considering advice are highly relevant. In a rapidly evolving industry, the ability to receive and process feedback from experienced board members can be a significant advantage for navigating market shifts and scaling a business.