Policy guru Rodin Genoff says 50-50 gender balance is key to unlocking creativity, new industries

As Queensland looks to capitalise on emerging industries such as critical minerals and aerospace, one policy expert with extensive experience in Europe says more women at the top is the secret ingredient.

Central Queensland delivers a mountain of wealth but hiring women in leadership roles could deliver even more, a leading industrial policy expert says.

Rodin Genoff has worked for years transforming Scandinavia’s industrial landscape and argues a 50-50 gender balance between men and women is the key to unlocking innovation and building new industries.

“Gender-balanced teams are twice as innovative and deliver superior financial performance,” he said, referencing research he conducted for his book New Women, New Men, New Economy.

“So if we are going to make the transition and create open environments for experimentation, doing things differently and optimising talent, we need to start thinking about how women are getting involved in this space differently.”

Mr Genoff will speak on the importance of inclusion at the Resources Centre of Excellence for the Greater Whitsunday Industry Insights event.

Industry development expert Rodin Genoff says his model's success in Europe can be replicated in Queensland. Picture: Contributed

“The event will give Mackay businesses insight into the new economy, which is defined by a new wave of digitalisation or Industry 4.0, circular economy business models and CEOs with open and collaborative mindsets,” Mr Genoff said.

“It will explore how mapping an industrial ecosystem and applying the industry intel generated through this process can improve business performance, collaborative potential, and help companies win new contracts as they transition into new markets.”

His talk comes as business leaders across Mackay and the Greater Whitsundays move to capture new opportunities in critical minerals, aerospace and bioproducts manufacturing to add to the region’s pre-existing pillars of mining and agriculture.

Mr Genoff emphasised balance, rather than particular differences between men and women, was the key to creativity.

“A gender balance of 50-50 optimises psychological safety,” he said.

“You don’t have the alpha male or the bully in the room and you are then able to optimise people’s talents and everyone brings themselves around the table which is why it optimises experimentation, creativity and innovation.

Lydia Gentle, a maintenance manager at BMA’s Peak Downs metallurgical coal mine near Moranbah, exemplifies the benefits of increasing female participation in Central Queensland’s resources sector. Picture: Contributed

“Diversity means you get a different raft of new ideas coming forward as well.”

The region’s pre-existing industries are also pursuing gender balance.

The Queensland Resources Council says 20 per cent of the mining workforce is now female, a 53 per cent increase in the past six years, something QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane welcomes.

“Our industry target is 30 per cent female participation by 2026, so we’ve got our work cut out for us, but the women already working in resources have demonstrated beyond a doubt how valuable they are to our industry’s bottom line,” he said.

At the executive level, women make up 15.1 per cent of executive management roles, 19.4 per cent of senior management roles and 22.8 per cent of project management roles.

Originally published as Policy guru Rodin Genoff says 50-50 gender balance is key to unlocking creativity, new industries