Cranfield Female FTSE Board Report 2016

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The Female FTSE Board Report 2016

FTSE 100 Companies

In the past year there were 11 new CEOs appointed, of whom only one was a woman. At this rate it is hard to see how Egon Zehnder will meet their challenge of having 25 female CEOs across the FTSE 100 companies achieved by 2025. 2 In terms of tenure, it is not surprising to see a significant difference in the average tenure between male and female EDs given that the past 18 months has seen the biggest increase in female EDs ever. Again, the average figures hide the variance in range, with men holding ED roles for up to 40 years, whereas the longest serving female ED is just under 9 years. Last year we drew attention to the large number of NEDs who had sat on their boards for more than the nine years recommended by the governance codes thus compromising their ‘independence’. The figures have not changed much this year and there are still 69 men and 15 women, including 20 male and two female Chairmen. There are 11 companies with three or more NEDs serving more than nine years, which could be evaluated as making the independence of the board questionable. The long tenure of many male NEDs explains the difference in average tenures for NEDs. Male NED tenure ranges from 0 to over 53 years, whereas the longest serving female NED clocks 12.6 years. 3.3 PACE OF CHANGE We have been measuring the pace of change in March and September since 2012. As of 1st March 2015 there were 23.5% women on FTSE 100 boards. Our estimated trajectory indicated that by March 2016 we should have 26.2% women directors. However, the increase in women directors on FTSE 100 boards exceeded our trajectory in October 2015, when we estimated 25.2% and 26.1% was actually achieved. Thus it is disappointing to see that that the figure is 26.0% in June 2016. As Table 7 shows, the percentage of new appointments going to women in the six months from September 2015 to March 2016 was only 24.7%, the lowest since September 2011. There was also a drop in the turnover of directors, down to 13% after an average of 14% - 17% in the years since 2011. Although the appointment rate fluctuated, over the period 2011-2015 it did average out at 33%. It is vital that we return to this pace of change. One explanation for this slower pace of change is that there was a ‘big push’ in 2015 to hit the target of 25%, which was successful, but then led to a relaxation in the effort to sustain momentum. Whilst in some respects this is understandable, the figures also reveal that without a concerted effort and a regular spotlight on the figures, we risk inertia setting in and a return to the years of incremental increases. In the 2015 3 report, interviews with key stakeholders in the change process (Chairmen, CEOs, headhunters, institutional investors and subject experts) expressed as much. TABLE 7: FTSE 100 NEW APPOINTMENTS ACROSS 6 MONTHS 2011-2016

Mar-16 Sep-15 Mar-15 Sep-14 Mar-14 Sep-13 Mar-13 Sep-12 Mar-12 Sep-11

New female appointments New male appointments Total new appointments Female % of new appointments

18

27

25

27

33

20

19

26

21

21

55

47

54

58

60

53

53

33

55

72

73

74

79

85

93

73

72

59

75

93

24.7% 36.5% 31.6% 31.8% 35.5% 27.4% 25.7% 44.1% 28% 22.5%

“We have to keep it going because it’s not yet embedded…the dialogue has to change to talent management; getting the best out of people, and risk management”

– FTSE 100 CEO