What does a successful diverse organisation look like, and how can we actually make it happen? Is there really a business case for gender equality? What kind of timeline is realistic?
iW50 UK held an event in November 2017 to discuss Gender Diversity. Click here to see the summary video.
Denise Wilson shared with us the main findings of the Hampton-Alexander Report which was followed by a panel discussion. This high-level presentation and debate was a joint event with the INSEAD International Directors Program Corporate Governance Network (IDPN) organised as part of the iW50 programme, and designed for men and women interested in the realities of attracting, developing, and retaining diverse talent at every level.
Denise Wilson OBE is currently a Non-Executive Director of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, Chair of the Remuneration Committee, Chair of the Royal Academy of Arts Friends and member of the Royal Academy Audit Committee. Her previous appointments include Chief Executive of the Davies Review and various executive roles at National Grid, BG Group and British Gas. She is a business coach, mentor and passionate supporter of women in business.
Oliver (Olly) Benzecry is Senior Managing Director at Accenture UK and Ireland. Accenture is one of the world’s leading professional services companies comprising Strategy, Consulting, Digital, Technology and Operations businesses. Accenture is privileged to work with many of the FTSE 100 including companies including Unilever, HSBC, BT, Vodafone, BP and Shell. The business is also a major local employer with over 10,000 staff and is proud of the recognition it regularly receives as a market leader in corporate citizenship, diversity and employee wellbeing. Olly is a member of the CBI President’s Committee, a trustee for Movement to Work and also holds board positions with the Business Disability Forum, the Tech Partnership and the UK government’s new Inclusive Economy Partnership.
Anne Minto OBE is a non-executive director and chairman of the remuneration committees on the boards of Shire plc, Tate and Lyle plc and EXL Inc. She is also Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of Aberdeen Development Fund and an independent governor on the University of Aberdeen Court. Previously, Anne was Group HR Director at Centrica plc and was a member of the Executive Committee until June 2011. A qualified lawyer, her executive career includes senior management roles at Shell UK, Deputy Director General of the Engineering Employers’ Federation and Group HR Director at Smiths Group plc.
Her former non-executive directorships include Northumbrian Water plc and SITA UK. She is a former chair of the Institute of Employment Studies and the Engineering Development Trust.
Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE is a portfolio non-executive director and advisory director with current positions which include the Department of Education and Bath University. Ruby was the Chief Executive of MITIE Group PLC. She is one of a small number of women who have held the position of Chief Executive in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 and is the first Asian woman to be appointed in such a role within that group of companies.
Ruby was also an Independent Non-executive Director of PageGroup. She chaired the Audit Committee, was a member of Nomination and Remuneration Committees and also latterly their Senior Independent Director. Ruby is a member of the Women’s Business Council (previously Chair) and a Member of the European Committee for Internal Markets in the House of Lords. She is also responsible for the Independent Review on Race in the Workplace published in February 2017 for the UK Government.
Julie Chakraverty was formerly a UBS executive and was the youngest NED of a FTSE 100 company in 2012. She combines a successful career as a NED with being the founder of the digital mentoring platform, Rungway, which is currently launching into leading companies. She is a NED with Standard Life Aberdeen, having previously been its Senior Independent Director, Chairman of the Risk Committee and past Chairman of the Innovation Committee. She has also served as Remuneration Committee Chairman of the insurance company Mitsui Amlin, and been a NED at Spirit Group and Paternoster.
Moderator: Helen Pitcher OBE (COL 98Jan & IDP-C13Sep) is Chair of the IDPN and Chairman of Advanced Boardroom Excellence