WOB eNews: June 2009

2nd Diversity on Boards Conference, 1-3 September 2009, Sydney NSW.
Sponsored by: AFR BOSS, AICD NSW, Freehills, Malleson Stephen Jaques, Defence Reserves Support, AIM NSW and UBS.

Latest Conference News
  30 Directors confirmed as mentors for Conference Dinner
Registrations now open for individual dinner tickets and corporate tables

http://www.womenonboards.org.au/events/diversity2009/

1. eNews Bi-monthly from July 2009

From July 2009 eNews will come to your inbox six times a year. This will fit better with the increasing amount of material available on the website, which you can browse at your discretion, and our regular emails about: 

  • Board Vacancies - sent every Wednesday
    and
  • Workshops & Networking Events - sent three weeks in advance with two reminders

2. WOB gets Football Fever

WOB Member, Kate Grieve, became the first female elected to the board of the Fremantle Football Club in its 15-year history in November 2008. She joins 11 other women who sit on the boards of the 16 Australian Football League Clubs. Over at the NRL the situation is not quite so rosy, with four women on 16 club boards. In both codes, more than forty per cent of fans and club members are female and the game is widely watched and played by women.

Women on Boards is taking an increased interest in increasing gender diversity on the governing bodies and clubs of both the AFL and NRL, as a means of improving the culture, governance and player behaviour within these highly visible and popular sports. The capacity of both codes to influence hundreds of thousands of young people and their deep reach into many communities across Australia, along with the highly commercial focus of their leagues, makes them logical targets to improve gender diversity on a minimum of 30 per cent on their boards and committees.

Women on Boards has written to, and had a successful meeting with, NRL Chief Executive David Gallop, with a view to working with the NRL and its clubs. Watch this space!

For a full report on diversity within the AFL and NRL go to: http://www.womenonboards.org.au/pubs/2009/0906football.htm

3. Record Events for 2009

Women on Boards was very busy in the first half of 2009, holding 36 workshops and networking events in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Townsville. These included two new offerings, Networking with a Twist and a specific day long workshop, Becoming High Impact Third Sector Directors. Also four career workshops with the mining and resources sector in Brisbane and Western Australia and events with three of its corporate members, Qantas, HSBC and University of South Australia.

As usual we met and re-met many talented and professional women who had achieved at the highest levels in their career. Many had started their board careers or were aspirant directors. A common theme from all events was the quality of the women and the level at which they sought to pitch themeselves - usually way to low. This was a combination of self assessment and expectations created by an often dominant male culture. Many women attending the workshops would not have been out of place on some very high level boards.

Thank you to our generous hosts in every city, Clayton Utz, UBS Sydney and Melbourne, BHP Billiton, BMA, URS Australia, Jackson McDonald, Deacons, Blake Dawson, Queensland Office for Women and South Australian Office for Women.

To see our program of professional development workshops and events go to: http://www.womenonboards.org.au/events/ WOB is available to conduct events and workshops for companies or groups. Please just get in touch. 

4. The Boardroom

Director Vacancies

Between four and six vacancies are posted on the website each week from many sectors. A steady stream of WOB members are reporting success in gaining positions on these advertised boards. Please continue to spread the word about our free vacancy posting service and the exceptional women on our database. The link for more information is: http://www.womenonboards.org.au/vacancy/index.htm

On Board success stories

  • Catherine Ordway has joined the anti-doping tribunals for the International Baseball Federation and the International Cricket Council.
  • Suzanne Campbell has been appointed to The Rotary Foundation chair in District 9750. 
  • Bronwyn Baker has been invited to join the CLAN WA Board.  
  • Ann Sutton has been made a director of  the IGA State Board (IGA Supermarkets). 

More details at On Board -  http://www.womenonboards.org.au/boardroom/onboard.htm

5. Kate Grieve - Profile of the Month

This month we profile Kate Grieve, who was elected the first female director of the Fremantle Football Club in November 2008. Read her profile and successful election strategy at:  http://www.womenonboards.org.au/boardroom/cs/grieve.htm

6. Supported Events & Activities

  • Women, Management, Employment Relations Conference - 30 & 31 July 2009 Sydney
  • AICD SA Emerging Directors event - 29 July 2009
  • Go Red for women - 12 June

Supported activities are at: www.womenonboards.org.au/events/external/index.htm