Headhunters like Gail Kenny Executive Search must push for more women on company boards

LONDON, ENGLAND, November 20, 2010 (Press-News.org) Executive search firms should educate and encourage clients to embrace diversity, believes Kenny.
Her comments follow reports in the Financial Times that the chairmen of Centrica, Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC Holdings, J Sainsbury, Aviva and the UK units of KPMG International and Deloitte & Touche are backing an initiative aimed at raising the proportion of women on boards to 30% in the next five years.

Kenny told Recruiter: "It's not just the board; there is still the element of the old boys' network, based on who the male directors know, where appointments are made behind closed doors. It is also up to the headhunters to educate and encourage diversity when compiling shortlists.

"In travel I have seen a demand from my clients for females to be included on shortlists. But the board needs to be encouraged to think it should always come down to the individual's capability and how can they add value in the role.

"It is key to have a good mix on any board and women can add a different dynamic — and not just from a human resources point of view!

"It's a great initiative but it might take longer than that, more like a decade I would assume. Most senior women have moved past the era when small children required a heavy time commitment. Many have well-organised childcare in place and some have decided not to have children. In other words, their full commitment to their work should not be in doubt. There are a lot of talented senior women in the pipeline."

About the Gail Kenny Group

GK Executive Search (part of the Gail Kenny Group), is a dedicated headhunting division for board level candidates. The Gail Kenny Group is an executive search, recruitment and HR consultancy has been matching the aspirations of travel businesses with those of talented senior executives since 2004. Within the travel industry, we work across varying sectors and senior travel job disciplines for example: Online Travel Jobs, Corporate Travel Jobs, Leisure Travel Jobs, Tour Operator Jobs, Airline Jobs, Hotel Jobs, Commercial Jobs, Sales & Account Management Jobs, Finance & Accounting Jobs, HR Jobs, IT Jobs, Ecommerce Jobs, Marketing Jobs, Operations Jobs, and Product Jobs.

http://www.gailkenny.com/
http://www.gkexecutivesearch.com/

The Gail Kenny Group is an executive search, recruitment and HR consultancy has been matching the aspirations of travel businesses with those of talented senior executives since 2004. Within the travel industry, we work across varying sectors and senior travel job disciplines for example: Online Travel Jobs, Corporate Travel Jobs, Leisure Travel Jobs, Tour Operator Jobs, Airline Jobs, Hotel Jobs, Commercial Jobs, Sales & Account Management Jobs, Finance & Accounting Jobs, HR Jobs, IT Jobs, Ecommerce Jobs, Marketing Jobs, Operations Jobs, and Product Jobs.