Already a subscriber?Julie Coates says her previous operational roles at Woolworths and food manufacturer Goodman Fielder were critical stepping stones to becoming chief executive ofMs Coates started her career as a maths teacher. Since joining the corporate world she has had a variety of roles in operational and functional areas.
By contrast, the proportion of functional roles held by women jumped by a third to 40 per cent over the same period. However, the survey found that across the broader ASX300, the number of companies with no women in executive leadership teams rose to 47 in 2022 from 44 last year. Low numbers of female CEOs and senior female leaders exacerbate the gender pay gap because the figure is an aggregate of men’s and women’s weekly earnings.“With a lack of diverse leadership in our top companies, Australia risks being left behind internationally, our companies less resilient and inherently less prepared to meet challenges at a critical time,” Ms Mostyn said.