At the Board Awareness Program: Woman in STEM: Power Up! event organised by the 30% Club Malaysia, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and MyWiE. Three women leaders at their respective industries shared their thoughts and journey on board.

The panellists were Datuk Ir. Rosaline Ganendra, Jenifer Thien, and Dato’ Roslina Zainal and the event was moderated by our own Geetha Kandiah.

The panelists agreed that the role of board directors has evolved significantly.

Once upon a time directors were deeply involved in operations, today’s non-executive directors (NEDs) focus more on strategy and act as advisors to CEOs and management teams. Among the key takeaways were:

𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: Serving on multiple boards – locally and internationally – provides invaluable exposure to different governance standards and enhances strategic thinking.

𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: While directors once handled operational details, today they must focus on strategic decision-making and ensure that management executes effectively.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐒𝐆: As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) becomes mandatory, boards are increasingly seeking technical expertise in sustainability. STEM professionals, engineers, and technocrats are key in addressing these issues.

𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬: Women on boards often face the stereotype of being too operational or detail-oriented. Embracing self-awareness, trusting others, and adapting to a strategic perspective are essential for overcoming this.

Also, to succeed as a board member, directors must:
1) Understand financial reports and have basic legal knowledge.

2) Have a deep understanding of technical details to inform decision-making.

3) Possess strong personal branding and business acumen, with the ability to translate technical expertise into strategic outcomes.

As emphasised by the panelists, mentoring plays a crucial role in leadership development. When seeking a mentor, it’s vital to ask the right questions, focus on how to present issues, and work collaboratively.

Networking and fostering male allyship also help support women leaders aspiring for board positions.

In conclusion, achieving greater gender diversity in the boardroom requires collective effort. Programmes that prepare women to be board-ready, challenge biases, and value diverse perspectives are critical in building a sustainable pipeline of talent.

Let’s continue to empower future-ready leaders who will drive innovation, inclusivity, and excellence at every level.

Last week, Dr Sharbanom Abu Bakar spoke about her board journey.

She talked about the data behind sourcing board talent, revealing that 73% of board members are sourced through personal networks. This reliance on networks can limit access to qualified candidates, particularly women and under-represented groups.

Dr. Sharbanom was speaking at the recently concluded Board Awareness Program: Women in STEM: Power Up! event organised by the 30% Club Malaysia, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and MyWiE.

She also highlighted the key selection criteria for board positions, sharing valuable insights on how candidates are evaluated.

The top board selection criteria include industry expertise (85%), personal network referrals (71%), strategic insight contributions (60%), regulatory adherence (45%), listed board experience (37%), shareholder nominations (14%), and risk/integrity records (2%). These findings highlight the emphasis on industry-specific expertise and personal networks in shaping board composition.

While Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM) key observations on board positioning and selection for aspiring board members reveal the following:

𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐠𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞: Companies typically prioritise candidates aged 40 to 55 for board roles, but individuals over 60 remain valued. However, fully employed candidates receive mixed acceptance within PLCs.

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: Some boards are more open to appointing first-time listed directors, influenced by their remuneration structures.

𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: Increasingly, companies seek independent validation of their internal candidates by benchmarking against ICDM-matched candidates.

𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱: The evaluation of board candidates now spans three critical angles – Must-have skills, emerging skill sets and unique value propositions.

Candidates with multi-disciplinary expertise, such as in accounting and sustainability, hold a competitive edge. These observations highlight the evolving expectations for board candidates, with a growing focus on diverse skill sets and strategic validation processes. Such insights provide a
roadmap for strengthening boardrooms with future-ready leadership.

Dr. Sharbanom said according to Malaysian Board Practices Review key skills and competencies needed to enhance board effectiveness include digital, ESG, and human resources expertise, which are identifies as areas for growth, with over 40% of boards needing improvement.

Core competencies such as strategy, governance, and industry experience remain strong, but fine-tuning is essential to stay future-ready while marketing, branding, and business development are increasingly critical for driving innovation and resilience.

In industries like energy, engineering and construction, leadership has historically been male-dominated. However, it’s time to challenge these norms.

This was one of the topics that were discussed during the recently concluded Board Awareness Program: Women in STEM: Power Up! event organised by the 30% Club Malaysia, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and MyWiE.

TNB’s Chief People Officer, Feldatun Sharif, highlighted the strides being made to amplify women in leadership.

At TNB, almost 50% of the Board Seats and 26% of senior management roles are held by women, thanks to strategic decisions and comprehensive programmes promoting inclusion at critical levels of leadership, though inclusive work practices.

“Leadership development is an evolving journey. Individuals gain 70% of their knowledge from job-related experiences, 20% from interactions, and 10% from formal education,” she said, emphasising the need for continuous growth and development.

Leadership is not just about breaking barriers, but about creating pathways for others to follow. Together, we must continue to challenge norms and celebrate diversity across all fields.

At the event, 30% Club Malaysia Chair Nurul Ain Abdul Latif said one key aspect of leadership is about building robust, sustainable talent pipelines that are board-ready and future-focused.

She stressed the importance of advocating for gender diversity in leadership. Strategic campaigns, including those led by PwC Malaysia, are crucial in advancing impactful agendas, she added.

“A key focus was on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which is central to achieving gender diversity goals. The need for a sustainable, board-ready talent pipeline is critical, especially considering the different skill sets required for C-suite and board positions.

Conducting the right programmes are essential to ensure female talent is ready for these roles, with statistics showing their significant contributions to boards.

Collaboration is essential, especially in industries like energy, where there are fewer women in technical leadership roles. Interestingly, while 80% of women leaders come from financial backgrounds, there’s a growing need for more women in technical fields.

“Building a robust talent pipeline with the right skills is crucial. “Networking and male allyship are key in advocating for women leaders,” said Nurul A’in in her keynote address.

At the event, Dr Sharbanom Abu Bakar spoke about her board journey.  There was also a panel discussion where the panelists Datuk Ir. Rosaline Ganendra, Jenifer Thien, and Dato’ Roslina Zainal who shared their journey and experiences as board members. The event was moderated by our own Geetha Kandiah.