WOB enews: February 2008

1st National Diversity on Boards Conference
28 & 29 May, 2008
Swiss Grand Resort & Spa
Bondi Beach, Sydney NSW
WOB Subscribers early bird rate of $790 has been extended to mid March
More information at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/events/diversity2008/index.htm

2. Getting the most out of your WOB membership

Tip 9 - attend a WOB event

The 2008 event program is now available at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/events/2008.htm

Registration for Newcastle Strategy Sessions and an Introduction to Directorship is now open on the website.

The headline event in 2008 is the 1st National Diversity on Boards Conference, which will bring together all elements of WOB program and is suitable for directors, aspiring directors and executives - both senior and less senior.

The well established Clayton Utz lunch series in Melbourne has been added to in 2008, with the St George Bank lunch series in Brisbane and the Genroe lunch series in Sydney.

As part of our Rural Subscriber offering we will be offering a series of online sessions. The initial session will feature a panel with associated written material available on your computer screen. The session runs for one hour and you can sit at your desk . Dates to be confirmed.

Tip 10 - keep your details up to date

It is up to you to keep your details current at Edit My Details which is available under Site Tools in the right hand side bar after you have logged in.

A reminder - WOB offers a web based membership at no cost and a Subscriber (fee paying) membership. Information about Subscriber membership benefits is at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/subscribe/index.htm

Tip 11 - searching for past vacancies

We get a few emails saying a vacancy that was mentioned does not appear when Submit is pressed on the Position Search page. The Closing date box on Position Search is set to 'current' Change this to 'current + expired" and all vacancies will appear.

3. WOB happenings - latest WOB research and an insightful article

WOB has been busy over the Christmas break with the WOB Review of ASX200 and its inaugural NFP Review. Some interesting findings have emerged which will be available as a composite for the range of governance types as part of the Conference. In response to the Paid Maternity leave initiatives announced by the Government we released our latest analysis of women directors in the top2000 ASX companies. It is not a pretty picture. The media release is at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/news/media080214.htm

We are as always looking to identify sources of potential directorships for WOBers. We are hoping to have an announcement shortly.

Women and Booards and Appoint Women (Federal Office for Women) offer cross registration of My Resume details. To date over 750 have taken advantage of this offering. WOB continues to interact with OfW and we are hopeful that they will begin to communicate with their registrants; and also be more open about the board vacancies they are asked to fill. In the meantime WOB will continue to provide its comprehensive range of offerings.

A truly insightful article has come our way from WA based WOB supporter and well known director Fiona Harris. Fiona talks about board dynamics, values and the 'boys' club. Take the time to read it at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/pubs/

4. WOB Governance

Women on Boards began in 2001 from a coalition of women’s organisations. Until 2006 Women on Boards was administratively a project of one of those organisations - NFAW Ltd ( www.nfaw.org ). The efforts to establish Women on Boards, as a project that could make a difference, was done on a volunteer basis.

In June 2006 the project form was changed to an incorporated form - as WOB Pty Ltd. At that time a membership (subscription) fee was introduced. Subsequently corporate membership was offered. The founding directors and shareholders of WOB Pty Ltd were Ruth Medd and Claire Braund. Julie Ankers and Tracey Ah Hee joined the board later. See http://www.womenonboards.org.au/about/a02_sc.htm for director profiles.

WOB Pty Ltd is licensed by NFAW to use the Women on Boards name and in return provides a percentage of its revenues as a license fee. WOB Pty Ltd as a matter of policy supports WOBers by arranging and contributing to a range of scholarships. WOB Pty Ltd relies in part on volunteer effort but the aim is to move to a paid model in order to develop its offerings. WOB is not government funded.

5. The Boardroom

All of the services and information connected with boards is at The Boardroom - accessible from the top navigation bar.

5.1 Success stories this month are Peta Seaton, Denise Aldous and Belinda Barnier

Success Stories are at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/boardroom/onboard.htm and two searches were requested this month.

WOBer Tasha Prabhakar is again standing for the YHA NSW Ltd Board. She is seeking support from WOBers eligible to vote. YHA membrs will receive voting papers in the next edition of Backpacker Essentials towards the end of March.

 

5.2 Focus on a WOB member

February's featured WOBer is Queensland based Dr Monique Beedles whose profile is at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/subscribe/profiles/beedles.htm

For future editions of Focus we are looking to feature women who should be suitable for paid boards but tend to get overlooked. We are looking for successful business owners/operators and CEOs and CFOs (or equivalent ) of business not for profits. So please be in touch if you would like to be featured.

5.3 Vacancy postings

Go to http://www.womenonboards.org.au/my/resume/position_search.html to see current and past vacancies.To access board positions you need to have a paid a subscription to WOB.