Chairpersons and CEOs of a number of Malta’s listed companies were invited, together with a group of women with an aspiration to become company directors, to a networking event organised by Women Directors Malta (WDM). Supported by HSBC Bank Malta, following their recent partnership with WDM, the event was held at the Malta Chamber of Commerce in Valletta.
WDM president Michelle Gialanze said the objective of the event was to provide an opportunity for aspiring directors and company leaders to get to know each other better. WDM exists to help women make the right connections and to get to board level within their own company, or to take on a non-executive board role and other board level roles in all sectors.
As a non-profit voluntary organisation, WDM helps bridge the gap. “One of our main aims is to increase the presence of women on the boards of locally listed companies. This is an issue that cannot be ignored anymore,” she said, while encouraging women to approach WDM for networking, training and advancement opportunities.
HSBC chairman Sonny Portelli said: “Building strong and diverse boards is a key priority for those of us who have the privilege to lead the country’s largest companies.” He shared with the audience the bank’s commitment in the context of gender balance increasingly becoming a leadership challenge.
“We see a more inclusive organisation develop as we move forward into the future. The board of HSBC Malta has two women directors, while another two women sit on each of the boards of HSBC Life Insurance Company and HSBC Global Asset Management Company. We are proud of the progress we have made but the job is not yet done and we are committed to continue improving diversity at board and executive levels,” Mr Portelli added.
Medserv plc chairman Anthony Diacono highlighted the fact that, even in the male-dominated oil and gas industry, women today occupied directorships and CEO positions. “Notwithstanding the challenges, some of these companies are performing better than companies with men-only boards. These women add value not because they are women but because they are competent. These professionals are proof that balance between work and family responsibility may be achieved. And this despite the unfortunate truth that a woman still carries the major burden of family responsibility. This reality translates itself to another fact – women deliver the results because they strive harder,” Mr Diacono said.
HSBC Malta’s CEO Andrew Beane said: “In today’s world it is no longer acceptable that gender remains a barrier to progression. Gender-diverse boards and management teams encourage a richness of thinking and different perspectives that support better decision making and business outcomes. This is about meritocracy and we must recognise that it is companies that have to change, not the talented women who wish to build careers within them. I urge CEOs of all of Malta’s large businesses to join me in taking personal accountability to lead this.”
WDM members also networked with Michael Warrington from AX Holdings Group, Frederick Mifsud Bonnici, who is a director on a number of company boards, Antoinette Caruana from Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, and Edmond Gatt Baldacchino from United Finance plc.