Inspiring Women: Fiona Hathorn CEO Women on Boards & Jonathan Bowman-Perks: Inspiring leadership interview

Fiona Hathorn is the CEO of Women on Boards UK, Non-Exec Director of the gender pay gap company Spktral, and advisor to Peel Hunt a mid-cap stockbroker.

In 2012 Fiona launched Women on Boards to support women, and men, make the right connections and career choices to get to board level within their own company or to take on a non-executive board role. Since launch, WOB has supported over 1800 individuals get onto boards and has advertised over 16,000 board roles.

She keeps busy as NED to Spktral (a technology company that helps organisations simplify the gender pay gap reporting process), advisor to Peel Hunt (mid-cap stockbroker) and Chair of Hanx’s Nominations Committee (FMCG start-up). She is an expert in the areas of Governance, Regulation and Talent Management who has sat on both marketing and audit & finance committees (investment oversight expert). Currently, Fiona is Chair of Hanx’s board nominations committee and on the board of Kings College London’s Global Institute for Women’s Advisory Board

Formerly Fiona was a director for Old Mutual Asset Management and Hill Samuel Asset Management, running the Global Equities and Emerging Markets Desks respectively. She has advised the board of the Thai Euro Fund and been the Director responsible for Pension Fund asset allocation for OMAM’s Employee Pension Fund.

Fiona was one of the founders of Incito Ventures, a female-friendly angel investment club, and cares deeply about innovation, investment and effective leadership. She is an INSEAD Alumni and International Directors Certificated board director ( INSEAD -IDP).

Fiona is proud that WOB is part of a growing ecosystem of organisations and networks that promote and support a diverse range of individuals into leadership and board roles. The unique value of being part of the WOB network is the ongoing personal support that WOB provides to subscribers.

In addition to the above Fiona is an adept public speaker and as a consequence has been invited to speak so far at two political party conferences. In 2016 Fiona was announced as one of the judges for the Sunday Times NED Awards. She likes to focus on Governance, Diversity & Investment Oversight Committees.

Fiona’s top tips are: look around you and enjoy life to the full whilst at the same time think big. Don’t let landmines get in your way. Understanding influence is vital if you want to succeed in business. Know how decisions are really made in your organisation, in and out of meetings, so work on how you influence and how others are influenced around you. Finally understand the boardroom early on in life and consider a community board because it will give you an opportunity to truly enhance your leadership and strategic skills.