The astonishingly small number of Australia’s most valuable companies that are run by women isn’t healthy, or best for business. Just 18 women held the chief executive officer post at an ASX 300 company, and just 5 per cent of ASX 200 companies were female-led in the 2021 financial year.

Astoundingly, not a single ASX 200 company appointed a female CEO, and only one woman – oOH!media’s Cathy O’Connor – won the top job among the 23 CEO appointments at the biggest 300 companies. Two women have since taken charge of major companies: Alexis George at AMP and Meg O’Neill at Woodside Petroleum.