Women Changing The Face Of British Business

The number of women in British boardrooms has broken through the one million barrier according to the Female Directors Report 2007 released by Experian today.

The number of female directors grew by 10.5% during 2007 compared to the previous year and women now account for 28% in British boardrooms.  Among the under 30s women have nearly reached parity with men and are increasingly heading towards a similar position in certain sectors such as property management, education, health and social work.

Interestingly older businesses seem to be most progressive.  Women are twice as likely to be found around the boardroom tables of businesses that are more than 14 years old.

Commenting on the findings of the report, Erika Watson, CEO of Prowess, the organisation designed to support and promote female entrepreneurship, said:

It is fantastic to see an increase in the number of female directors. Female leaders make great innovators, adopt a collaborative approach to management and invest in staff development – leading to highly successful businesses. Too many Companies are still missing out on the impact diverse leadership can have on their bottom line, but this report shows that we are making progress.