Percentage of women on Bursa Malaysia’s top 100 boards rises to 19.1 pct

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Only 95 out of 928 listed companies has achieved 30 per cent women board representation, while 372 companies has not had a single woman at all on their boards. — Bernama photo

KUALA LUMPUR: The percentage of women on the boards of Bursa Malaysia’s top 100 public listed companies has increased 19.1 per cent, said the 30% Club Malaysia.

The 30% Club Malaysia, a business group campaigning for more female directors on company boards, said only 95 out of 928 listed companies has achieved 30 per cent women board representation, while 372 companies has not had a single woman at all on their boards.

Club Advisory co-chair Datuk Mohaiyani Shamsudin said while more diverse boards would lead to stronger business performance, the pace of change in Malaysia had not been as fast as the government had hoped.

“Expressing his seriousness in reaching the 30 per cent target, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, had in 2018, pledged that public-listed companies with no women on their boards would be named and shamed and risk losing out on government contracts,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Another Co-founding Chair Anne Abraham said with the government’s conviction, there were chances Malaysia would reach the 30 per cent target by 2020, through the participation of public and private learning enterprises, corporate boards, and a pool of qualified women.

The third series of the Business Leaders Roundtable meeting held recently also discussed their specific challenges in engaging women directors and explored avenues for resolving them.

The inventory of challenges presented at the roundtables thus far included difficulties in sourcing for board-ready women directors or for those with specific skills, and the limited profiling of potential women directors,” she said.

Since its launch in Malaysia in May 2015, the 30% Club has taken a frontline role in bridging the supply of and demand for women directors, leveraging partner programmes such as women development and mentorship programmes. — Bernama