The Ministry of Women's Affairs has offered to help the new chairman of the Shareholders' Association identify suitable potential women board members.Better representation of women on company boards is on the agenda of the new association chairman, John H
The Ministry of Women's Affairs has offered to help the new chairman of the Shareholders' Association identify suitable potential women board members.
Better representation of women on company boards is on the agenda of the new association chairman, John Hawkins, along with improving financial literacy and increasing association membership.
Minister of Women's Affairs, Pansy Wong, said she had written to Mr Hawkins today welcoming the decision.
"Some company chairs say that they are hampered by a lack of women candidates with the right skills and experience, so I have asked Mr Hawkins to pass on the assurance I have received from a number of New Zealand's leading board recruitment specialists that there is an adequate supply of suitably qualified women for company boards," Ms Wong said.
The association's decision was timely given the Australian Securities Exchange's (ASX) new requirement that listed companies set and report on gender diversity targets from January 2011, she said.
As a result, the percentage of women on ASX boards in the first six months of 2010 has increased to 9.2% from 8.3%.
