The Journey To The Boardroom

Gender Diversity In The Boardroom Is Linked To Better Performance But The Majority Of Boards Are Still Dominated By Men. How Can We Make Sure That Female Voices Are Heard?

- Domini Stuart

Marina Go remembers the moment she decided to pursue a boardroom career.

“It was in 2003, when I heard IAG’s Sam Mostyn speak about the lack of women on boards and how important it was for women to consider a board position in their future,” she says. “That appealed to me because women need role models and I’m really interested in breaking new ground.”

For the next 12 years, while her executive career was thriving, she volunteered on not-for-profit and sports boards. The turning point came when she was accepted into the 12-month Chair’s Mentoring Program run by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

“I was paired with ASX200 chair Graham Bradley, who opened up his networks to me,” says Go. “When the ASX-listed Autosports Group was looking for a director with my skill set Graham recommended me and, after the usual selection process, I was appointed. That was my first paid board membership. I then took a leap of faith by leaving my executive career and, within six months, I was chair of Office Brands and a director of Energy Australia. Just recently, I joined the board of 7-Eleven.”

STRIVING FOR 30 PER CENT

Go is one of the growing number of women taking their place on commercial boards around the world. In Australia, for example, women comprised just 8.1 per cent of ASX200 board directors in 2002 while the latest figures, released by the AICD on 8 March to coincide with International Woman’s Day, showed a rise to 26.7 per cent.