WOB success on well connected board

Recent success on the newly formed Melanoma Institute of Australia board is another great case study of how WOB promotes well credentialled women to achieve directorships. Two WOBers, Helen Wiseman and Jenny Reynolds, have been appointed to the MIA board and will be active in the building and development of this multi-million research institute for Australia. Congratulations to them both.

It all unfolded last year, when WOB Executive Director, Claire Braund, was interviewed on Sydney ABC 702. Reg Richardson, a Sydney businessman who chairs the recently formed Melanoma Institute of Australia (MIA), heard it and contacted WOB. His request was simple "we need two female board members."

WOB and MIA met and developed selection criteria, which we ran across our WOB database. MIA were specifically looking for women with expertise in finance and/or marketing. A shortlist of five candidates was compiled and three were interviewed by Ruth Medd, Reg Richardson and Professor Stretch, who also serves on the board. Jenny Reynolds and Helen Wiseman were subsequently offered the positions and accepted.

The importance of this case study cannot be underestimated. Reg and the other directors are high profile Sydney businessmen and members of the medical profession. Reg, who has a daughter, realised how difficult it is for well qualified women 'outside the club' to access board vacancies. He is be congratulated in actively seeking to address diversity on the MIA board.

The board had its first meeting recently, which was reported on by Reg in a the following email to WOB.

"Last night we had our first board meeting which was attended by Jenny Reynolds and Helen Wiseman. The meeting went very well and the women made good contributions and will be productive board members. It is very early days for the Melanoma Institute and we are all learning as we go, particularly the chairman. I wrote to Mike Smith of the ANZ and told him that I had read his speech to EOWA and that subsequently we had appointed two women to our board including Jenny from his company. I received a very warm response from him."

Both Helen and Jenny have found the experience to be very positive as the comments below indicate.

Jenny Reynolds

"It's always been an aspiration of mine to become a director of an ASX 200. In the middle of 2008 as part of my Talent Plan Program at ANZ I completed the AICD Directors program and then in November I participated in a "hands on" board preparation workshop run by WOB. The workshop helped me to refine my personal value proposition for potential boards. My next goal was to join a Not for Profit Board that I was passionate about, that valued my experience and where I could add value to the board, get some experience and expand my network. When WOB asked me to submit my resume for the MIA board following the workshop, I was very excited about the opportunity. I met with Reg and John from MIA  for an interview and was subsequently offered a director position, which I accepted. Reg has been clearly proactive in seeking suitably experienced women as candidates through WOB and I am sure that the women that he has chosen will prove that he has done the right thing in giving us a chance.  WOB has really been the catalyst to bring the opportunity together for me and the MIA."

Helen Wiseman

"When WOB first approached me about a possible board opportunity at MIA I could see the opportunities straight away. I was given a very good briefing by Women on Boards which then helped me to present my experience in a way that demonstrated how I could contribute to the Board of the MIA. I had previously attended WOB workshops and networking events, as well as the 2008 conference of WOB which had given me a really good understanding of what Boards generally look for and how I should approach a particular board opportunity. I have always found WOB to be very supportive.

The interview process gave me an excellent insight into the aims and activities of the MIA. I was very excited at the prospect of being able to contribute to the incredibly worthwhile work of the Institute and to combatting a disease which strongly affects the Australian community.

Subsequent meetings with the MIA and my first board meeting have only convinced and excited me more that this is a great board opportunity and one to which I can simultaneously contribute and learn from. Each time I meet with the MIA board and executive members, I am absolutely inspired - it completely fits with my values of using my experiences to make a difference. I am grateful to the chair, Reg Richardson, for his foresight and willingness to search beyond the more traditional parameters for suitable board candidates."