Harvey Nash and HKU Launch Programme to Boost Gender Balance on Boards

LONDON, March 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With Asia positioned as the growth engine of the world's economy, Harvey Nash, the global executive search and leadership consulting firm, and The University of Hong Kong Business School (HKU) have again joined forces to unlock the full potential of female talent in the top tier of the region's workforce.

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Despite modest improvements in the numbers of women on corporate boards, closing the boardroom gender gap is still a distant goal, likely to take decades at the current pace of change. Initiatives like the Women's Directorship Programme can accelerate the process by helping women to demonstrate their readiness for senior roles and ensuring they are visible.

The Women's Directorship Programme was created in 2013, with the aim of enabling participants to become effective board members and serving to increase the supply of board-read women executives across geographies and business sectors. The programme offers a unique combination of lectures and academic leadership theories, plus real life case studies and practical insights delivered by international business leaders as guest speakers.

Donald Brydon, Chairman of the London Stock Exchange and Sage Group, guest speaker on the Women's Directorship Programme, said: 

"Diversity of thought is an essential component of board governance, yet boardroom evolution continues to move at only a glacial pace. The Women's Directorship Programme is a vital tool in producing a pipeline of exceptional women ready to take on the challenge of a board role, bringing together academia and practitioners to share their wealth of knowledge and experiences."

Albert Ellis, CEO, Harvey Nash Group said: "The Women's Directorship Programme in partnership with The University of Hong Kong, demonstrates Harvey Nash's commitment to developing the global female talent pipeline. By empowering female leaders to gain the confidence and skills needed to secure board positions and elevating their visibility to a global level, we can create lasting change across the world."

The 2016 Women's Directorship Programme comprises of six modules, taught over two three-day sessions (May 26-28 and September 22-24, 2016). For more information please visit http://www.wdpglobal.com.

About Harvey Nash: http://www.harveynash.com

About Executive Education, HKU Business School: http://www.fbe.hku.hk.  

Harvey Nash Media Relations contact:
Telephone: +852-3199-6942 / +852-6696-1141
E-mail: sophie.gray@harveynash.hk