WMG's Professor of Marketing and Service Systems, Irene Ng, has been featured in the annual Women to Watch supplement, compiled by Cranfield University.

The 2019 edition features 50 Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic (BAME) women, showcasing inspiring professionals who come from backgrounds historically under-represented in the senior leadership pipeline.

Professor Ng said: “ I am honoured to be featured in the Women to Watch supplement. It is so important that we continue to look around our own contexts and lives to be mindful of representations, whether it’s BAME or other minority views.”

Businesses should tap into diverse talent pool

Cranfield University’s Female FTSE Board Report, launched today [11 July], reveals that only 11% of women on FTSE 100 boards are from BAME backgrounds.

Dr Doyin Atewologun, Director of the Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Centre, says: “We need to be sure that we are not only advancing progress for a certain small group of women, but are truly pushing board diversity in every sense. We hope executive search firms, FTSE Board Chairs and other Directors are inspired by the rich talent we highlight, to look at gender diversity - including men - in a different way.”

Women of colour are missing from the boardroom

The Women to Watch supplement was introduced by Cranfield University’s Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Centre in 2009, and is this year compiled in collaboration with The Network of Networks BAME – Multicultural Chapter (TNON) and the Black British Business Awards.

Melanie Eusebe and Sophie Chandauka, Co-Founders of the Black British Business Awards said: “In 2019, it is simply unacceptable for any FTSE 350 nomination committee to refer to the common refrain that there are no Black Asian and other Minority Ethnic (BAME) women on boards because the talent does not exist. Women of colour are often missing from the boardroom inclusion discourse, from the search firm shortlists and, ultimately, from the PLC board. The BBBAwards joins Cranfield University in this bold step to disrupt the status quo by declaring, through the profiles of these 50 impressive women, that BAME women of commercial excellence and tenure exist in substantial numbers.”

Diane Greenidge, Founder of TNON, said: “These inspiring women, already leaders in their respective fields, have the potential to bring the power of greater diversity to UK boardrooms. We join Cranfield University in urging businesses to realise the positive impact that women from a broader range of backgrounds can have on their success.”