The chairmen of the FTSE 100 companies have called on the Government to tone down parts of the Higgs report on non-executive directors.
The chairmen claim that the report's recommendations would undermine their authority.
The scale of their concerns is prompting the CBI to conduct a poll, with a view to putting pressure on ministers.
The chairmen's biggest concern is that the strengthened role of the non-executive director will create divisions on the board.
CBI director general Digby Jones said: "If you look at each individual reform, there is no problem.
"Cumulatively the conclusion from a lot of our members seems to be that they diminish the role of public company chairmen."
However a government official said: "There seems to be odd mis-readings of Derek's report. He is absolutely clear that chairmen must be centre stage."
