August 22, 2024
"Don't underestimate the grit, passion, energy and relevance of first-time board members," Burr says. "These folks are often part of a leadership team of some of the fastest growing or newly acquired, most successful companies that will bring that incredibly relevant expertise to your boardroom." —Cassie Burr, Co-founder + Executive Director, Women on Boards Project
Women drive 70%-80% of consumer purchasing yet occupy only 20% of board seats globally. Inspired by her experiences at Goldman Sachs and as the vice president of talent at the private equity firm VMG Partners, Cassie Burr co-founded the Women on Boards Project in February 2020 to increase women's representation on private consumer company boards. Initially, 20 companies signed on. Today, Burr's organization continues to connect qualified women with board roles, challenging the notion of a "supply problem" and what it means to be "board-ready" – a term she knows can be a barrier to increasing female representation. She suggests that private companies should have more room for creativity in defining board roles. For example, they could focus on voice and compensation rather than just voting rights. To date, the project has helped connect 60 women with board roles. Entrepreneur | Amanda Breen
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Amanda Breen
