Orient - The Official Magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore - Issue 66 May 2018 - Page 44
THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT GENDER DIVERSITY: WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO INVEST IN FUTURE FEMALE LEADERS By Dr Zsuzsanna Tungli, Managing Partner, Developing Global Leaders Asia
Make no mistake, diversity is hard. In today's uncertain world, there are no champion models for diversity. In fact, the 2018 Global Talent Competitiveness Index reveals that no country or company has completely cracked it yet. While Singapore is ranked second for its talent competitiveness, further research indicates that women remain under-represented here in leadership roles. 2017 findings show that women held just 12.2% of board seats among the Top 100 listed firms in Singapore. In today's volatile and complex global economy, staying competitive requires a level of agility, problem-solving and innovation that only diverse teams can achieve. Different studies now prove that companies with greater diversity outperform their peers. As McKinsey & Co.’s 2015 research reveals, gender diverse companies in the top quartile financially outperform those in the bottom quartile by 15%. The business case for female representation in senior leadership is compelling. The business case for female-centric leadership programs is even more so. (contd.)