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The Female FTSE Board Report 2016
4.1 FTSE 250 COMPANIES WITH FEMALE
DIRECTORS
TABLE 10: FTSE 250 DIRECTORSHIPS 2012-2016
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
Female held directorships
406
(20.4%)
365
(18.0%)
310
(15.6%)
267
(13.3%)
189
(9.4%)
Female executive directorships
29
(5.6%)
25
(4.6%)
29
(5.3%)
32
(5.4%)
28
(4.5%)
Female non-executive directorships
371
(25.7%)
340
(23.0%)
281
(19.6%)
235
(16.6%)
168
(11.4%)
Companies with female executives
26
(10.4%)
23
(9.2%)
27
(10.8%)
29
(11.6%)
25
(10.0%)
Companies with at least one female director
235
(94.0%)
227
(90.8%)
202
(80.1%)
183
(73.2%)
135
(54.0%)
Companies with at least 25% female directors
90
(36%)
65
(26.0%)
51
(20.4%)
36
(14.4%)
21
(8.4%)
Companies with at least 27% female directors
66
(26.4%)
Companies with at least 33% female directors
39
(15.6%)
There’s no doubt in my mind that developing more
women leaders will make a real difference to the
success of the UK economy, our productivity, and the
UK’s future place in the world. Diverse leadership teams
make better decisions and are a source of competitive
advantage for firms. That’s why our companies have
stepped up to the challenge of a voluntary target for
improving gender diversity in the UK’s boardrooms
Yet we still have a long way to go, particularly to improve
the number of female executives which is not getting
better anything like fast enough. Non-executive directors
play an important role as the guardians of values, challenging decisions and managing risk. But it
is the job of executives – the sleeves-rolled-up leaders in our society – to run organizations on a
daily basis. We don’t have enough women who are executive leaders in the UK – the CEOs, the
CFOs, the heads of operating divisions, the MDs and Partners.
Lord Davies’ review showed just what can be done through sheer energy, commitment, and the
clarity of a target. A voluntary target for women leaders, combined with business-led approaches
to improving the representation of women at all levels of leadership and management will help us
to take the next step.
Carolyn Fairbairn
Director General of the Confederation of British Industry
FTSE 250 Companies