Women hold 34.4pct of top 100 board seats, but influence remains the test

KUALA LUMPUR: Women hold more than 34.4 per cent of board seats among Malaysia's top 100 public-listed companies on Bursa Malaysia, but greater representation must translate into stronger influence over corporate decisions.

The 30% Club Malaysia said the focus should shift towards ensuring women's perspectives were heard and reflected in corporate strategy and governance.

Its chair and PwC Malaysia executive chair Nurul A'in Abdul Latif said aspiring women board members needed better access to professional networks, sponsorship and boardroom exposure.

"Through mentorship and meaningful connections, the Board Mentoring Scheme (BMS) helps develop a sustainable pipeline of board-ready women who can contribute effectively in governance and leadership roles," she said in a statement.

Nurul A'in added that achieving gender-balanced leadership required male allies to sponsor talent and create more inclusive pathways to leadership.

She was speaking at the organisation's annual Board Mentoring Celebration on Tuesday, themed "Beyond the Numbers: From Representation to Real Influence".

The event marked the completion of the programme's 11th cohort, comprising 15 women, and welcomed 24 participants to its 12th cohort.

Established with PwC Malaysia in 2017, the nine-month BMS pairs aspiring women leaders with experienced board directors to strengthen their governance knowledge and professional networks.

The scheme has supported more than 179 senior women leaders across 11 cohorts, with 47 per cent securing board positions in public-listed companies, small and medium enterprises, and industry associations.

30% Club Malaysia steering committee member and PwC Malaysia partner Pauline Ho said board diversity should be measured by whether women's views influenced organisational decisions, rather than representation alone.

She said diverse boards were better equipped to navigate complexity, challenge assumptions and drive long-term value creation.

Meanwhile, Axiata Group Bhd chairman and independent non-executive director Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan highlighted the need for corporate cultures that welcomed diverse perspectives and translated them into meaningful outcomes.

The event featured an interactive boardroom exercise, "Would You Hire Her?", examining how gender, career breaks, age and non-traditional career paths could influence assessments of leadership candidates.

The exercise led to a panel discussion on unconscious bias, allyship and barriers to leadership appointments.

The panellists included Shahril, Malaysia Digital Economy Corp chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah, TIME dotCom independent non-executive director Teoh Su Yin, and Telekom Malaysia Bhd committee chair Hisham Zainal Mokhtar.

They discussed measures to challenge unconscious bias, widen talent pipelines and improve access to leadership opportunities in hiring, promotion, succession planning and board appointments.

The event also highlighted the Men Allies for Parity initiative, launched in 2025 to recognise men who actively support women's advancement in corporate leadership.

The initiative seeks nominations for male leaders who sponsor emerging talent, challenge conventional definitions of board readiness and advocate more inclusive decision-making.