Greater board effectiveness can be achieved through increased board diversity. Deborah Harris inverviews FTSE100 non-executive director Rudy Markham, and shares insights on the challenges for board diversity, and successful approaches to overcome them.

1. Non-Executive Directors’
Webinar Series
10 June 2011
Widening the Talent Pool for
Board Effectiveness
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2. Rudy Markham Deborah Harris
Rudy Markham is an experienced Non- This webinar is chaired by Deborah Harris, a
Executive Director on central government, consultant with DHU Associates. Deborah is
public sector and FTSE100 boards. Rudy is a the Chairman of the ICAEW Non-Executive
Fellow of the Association of Corporate Director Group and is also a non-executive
Treasurers, and a Fellow of the Chartered director of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS
Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Foundation Trust, where she also chairs the
Audit Committee.
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3. Webinar Poll…
• What do you feel is the greatest challenge to
women seeking to move to a board director/ board
level position?
• Do you feel there are some business sectors or
professions that do not naturally lend themselves
to women participating at board level?
• To increase the number of board positions held/
retained by women the where should the greatest
focus of attention should placed?
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4. The ‘War for Talent’
WEBINAR OVERVIEW
• This issue is important if an organisation is to
successfully win in the war for talent
• User and general population
• Implications for business
• Q & A/ Other comments
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5. Current State of Play - Historical Performance
Number of FTSE100 Executive/ Non Executive Directorships
Cranfield School of Management: The Female FTSE board report 2010
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6. Current State of Play - Historical Performance
Cranfield School of Management: The Female FTSE board report 2010
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7. Current State of Play - Historical Performance
Of the FTSE 250 companies, only 119 (47.6%) have women in the
boardroom
This is lower than the 79% of FTSE 100 firms with female directors
Cranfield School of Management: The Female FTSE board report 2010
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8. Current State of Play
Women Representation
TOP TIER: Limited/ No Representation
SENIOR LEVEL: Significant Attrition Female staff
Attrition
MID TIER LEVEL: Equal
ENTRY LEVEL: Equal
Based on BIS Report: Women on Boards (Feb 2011)
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9. Dispelling the Myths...
“Certain industry sectors
do not typically attract
“Gender diversity is only women board members…”
possible where there is an
enlarged board…”
“The quality/ experience of
women coming through is not
yet sufficient for board
“Older board Chairmen do
positions…”
not want to appoint women to
their boards…”
“Boardroom climate is too
confrontational for women
“Women may not wish to/ do
to participate / feel
not demonstrate a forceful
comfortable…”
enough approach required...”
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10. Seizing the Opportunity...
• Recruitment processes
• Identifying and expanding the talent pool
• Board leadership
• Addressing the experience shortfall
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11. Seizing the Opportunity...
• Do Quotas work?
• Time for positive discrimination?
• Board leadership
• So what is really meant by ‘diversity’ on
boards?
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12. Reshaping Processes
• Recruitment processes
• Nomination Committee - Selection Panel criteria
• Peer Challenge to other Boards
• Evaluation of boards to include gender diversity
• External Encouragement
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13. Current State of Play
Address Under representation Issue
TOP TIER and SENIOR LEVEL:
Repopulate through:
Improved working practice
Recruitment/ talent retention etc
Active Sponsorship - not solely through
‘mentoring’
MID TIER LEVEL: Equal
ENTRY LEVEL: Equal
Based on BIS Report: Women on Boards (Feb 2011)
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14. Addressing the Challenges
• Managing the time commitment
• Balancing the family and career
• Career Structure
• Sensitivity to time usage
• Processes to help support women through to
board level
• Exchanging experiences of being an NED?
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15. Reflection Poll and results…
Questions and Comments
(NED Group members and Webinar attendees can access the
compiled questions and responses from the Webinar)
Final Thoughts/ Key Messages
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16. Useful ICAEW recourses
• eLibrary…
• Non-Executive Directors Group resources
• Join the debate on our LinkedIn group
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17. 2011 events
• Women on Boards – evening seminars
– 23 June 2011
– 3 October 2011
– 24 November 2011
• NED training workshop
– 9 September 2011
• NED Public Sector Conference
– 6 October 2011 (pre-conference Webinar / information)
– 16 November 2011
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18. Thank you!
Members of the ICAEW Non-Executive Directors Group can access
the recording of this session online
http://www.icaew.com/en/technical/business-and-financial-management/non-executive-
directors/non-executive-directors-group
ICAEW Non-Executive Directors group:
www.icaew.com/nedgroup
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