Hong Kong companies slow to add women directors to their boards – why it makes good business sense to do so

Hong Kong has a large pool of talented women and access to affordable domestic help – so what is stopping them from reaching board level?

That is the question on Shalini Mahtani’s mind. She is the founder and former CEO of Community Business, which marks International Women’s Day on March 8 with an annual report on the representation of women on Hang Seng Index-listed company boards.

“Everyone should be interested in having women on boards because boards are making decisions about us. Whether it’s a bank thinking about life insurance or Procter & Gamble making decisions about tampons, I want someone who has thought about my needs,” says Mahtani.

What’s more, there is plenty of evidence from leading firms such as BlackRock and McKinsey showing that balanced boards make good business sense.

“Companies show positive business performance when they embrace the concept of diversity – not just women, all aspects,” says Kirti Lad, the Hong Kong director of executive search firm Harvey Nash and co-founder of the Women’s Directorship Programme at the University of Hong Kong, run in conjunction with Harvey Nash.