Female directors who resigned early with no explanation

November 30, 2025

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 looks at the trend where female directors leave boards after shorter terms and no explanation if offered as to why. The AFR's companies editor Anne Hyland had an interesting piece on this phenomenon in April 2025.

Patricia Akopiantz: appointed to the Ramsay Health Care board on April 4, 2015, she resigned abruptly on November 9, 2018 after 3 years and 7 months. There was no inkling of this in the 2017-18 annual report. See director profiles on p12.

Campbell: Amotiv.

Susie Corlett: joined with colleague Jacqueline McGill and resigned together from the Minerals Resources board with immediate effect on April 16, 2025. Neither was quoted in the announcement, no reason was given and it was chair James McClements who approved the announcement. She joined the board in January 2021, so lasted just over 4 years. They both served on the board ethics committee at the scandal ridden company where Chris Ellison somehow remains as CEO.

Paula Dwyer, Leighton: joined the Leighton Holdings board in December 2011 and then resigned without explanation at the end of the 2014 AGM after just 2.5 years, apparently after taking on the Spanish bullies who controlled the board.

Paula Dwyer, David Jones: 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, who she felt was a bully.

Audette Exel: joined the Westpac board in 2021 and resigned without explanation, along with colleague Nora Scheinkestel (see below), when she should have been seeking re-election at the AGM in December 2024. Presume there were issues with the way new chair Steven Gregg went about it.

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

Christine Holman, Wisetech: only lasted 11 months on the board before resigning due to bullying concerns about founder Richard White, which were written up in The AFR in October 2024 but not explained at the time.

Christine Holman, Vocus Communications: only lasted 81 days in 2017 as The AFR noted in this feature in October 2024 after the Wisetech scandal blew up.

Vickki McFadden: appointed to the Leighton board in June 2013 but quit at the end of the 2014 AGM after 18 months without anyone explaining the situation to shareholders. Again, it was the Spanish bullies.

Jackie McArthur: joined the Blackmores board in early 2018 and resigned effective immediately without explanation in August 2019, along with another female director, Helen Nash. Apparently there were issues with the way chairman Marcus Blackmore went about it.

Jacqueline McGill: joined with colleague Susie Corlett and resigned together from the Minerals Resources board with immediate effect on April 16, 2025. Neither was quoted in the announcement, no reason was given and it was chair James McClements who approved the announcement. She joined the board in January 2024, so lasted only 15 months. They both served on the board ethics committee at the scandal ridden company where Chris Ellison somehow remains as CEO.

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 after the Amber Harrison revelations but she never publicly explained her reasons.

Patricia Mckenzie: only spent 5 years on the AGL board, the last two as chair, before making way for Miles George with a transition that was announced in August 2024 and took effect in February 2025 after the release of the half year results. It was later revealed she received a $732,000 settlement after being injured during a site tour.

Helen Nash: spent 6 years on the Blackmores board before resigning effective immediately without explanation in August 2019, along with fellow female director Jackie McArthur. Apparently there were issues with the way chairman Marcus Blackmore went about it.

Karen Penrose: appointment to the Reece board was announced on December 18, 2023 and like others was parachuted straight in to chair the audit committee, but only lasted 8 months until this August 19 2024 announcement which was twinned with the appointment of former NAB CEO Ross McEwen to the board, who quickly helped a source a new audit committee chair from within NAB's ranks.

Nora Scheinkestel: joined the Westpac board in 2021 and resigned without explanation, along with colleague Audette Exel (see above), when she should have been seeking re-election at the AGM in December 2024. Presume there were issues with the way new chair Steven Gregg went about it.

Margaret Searle: appointed to the Ramsay Health Care board on April 28, 2015, she resigned abruptly on October 31, 2018 after 3.5 years. There was no inkling of this in the 2017-18 annual report. See director profiles on p12.

Georgina Williams: appointed to the Reece board on September 1, 2017, as the equal first female director when Andrew Gorecki retired. Only lasted one term despite forging a career as a professional director. May have got to know the Wilsons through a long stint in NAB's business bank or through an engagement role at Australian Super. Her departure some time between the release of the 2020 annual report and the 2020 AGM was truly bizarre as there was no ASX announcement and not even a final directors' interest notice, presumably because she never bought any shares, although that doesn't stop the requirement for an exit holding statement. She lasted 3 years.

DIRECTORS WHO RESIGN WITH AN EXPLANATION

Christine Holman: disagreed with the CEO's remuneration arrangement at Metcash, so she quit in 2024.

Megan Quinn: appointed to the Reece board on September 1, 2017, as the equal first female director when Andrew Gorecki retired and then quit on July 2, 2025, with immediate effect declaring that "after 8 years I have decided to step down and provide opportunity for fresh perspectives", which suggests her perspective was not being well received. Given the preponderance of long-serving Wilson family board members, she was perhaps sending a message to them as well.

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Female directors who resigned early with no explanation

November 30, 2025