Female directors who resigned early

October 8, 2019

A typical director will do 6-10 years on a public company board so when someone chooses to go in less than two terms, it should be explained. This list always looks at the trend where female directors tend to leave boards after shorter terms.

Patricia Akopiantz: appointed to the Ramsay Health Care board on April 4, 2015, she resigned abruptly on November 9, 2018. There was no inkling of this in the 2017-18 annual report. See director profiles on p12.

Paula Dwyer: joined the Leighton Holdings board in December 2011 and then resigned without explanation at the end of the 2014 AGM.

Paula Dwyer: served on the David Jones board from 2003 until 2006 and then declined to serve another term. The public announcement talked about wanting to focus on other roles when the real issue was more to do with then CEO Mark McInnes.

Jane Hemstritch: appointed to the Telstra board in August 2016, Jane resigned with immediate effect in January 2019 without serving a full time. The explanation was to pursue her philanthropic interests.

Vickki McFadden: appointed to the Leighton board in June 2013 but quit at the end of the 2014 AGM without personally explaining the situation.

Jackie McArthur: joined the Blackmores board in early 2018 and resigned effective immediately without explanation in August 2019, along with another female director.

Sheila McGregor: joined then Seven West Media board in June 2015 and then quit in February 2017 after it refused to sack CEO Tim Worner but she never publicly explained her reasons.

Helen Nash: spent 6 years on the Blackmores board before resigning effective immediately without explanation in August 2019, along with another female director.

Margaret Searle: appointed to the Ramsay Health Care board on April 28, 2015, she resigned abruptly on October 31, 2018. There was no inkling of this in the 2017-18 annual report. See director profiles on p12.