The first firm with an all-female board to list on the London Stock Exchange is expected to be an investment trust focusing on renewable energy, which is set to float next month.
Atrato Onsite Energy, which plans to raise £150 million by listing in London next month, is led by three female board members, exceeding voluntary objectives for increasing the number of women in senior positions across most FTSE businesses.
It’s another another success for women’s rights activists who want to see more women in the highest tiers of British industry. While there is scant information on the gender makeup of boards of directors throughout the London Stock Exchange’s history, which dates back to 1608, it is believed that there are presently no firms listed in London with all-female boards.
In February, the government-backed Hampton-Alexander review announced that it had met its goal of having 33 percent of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 board posts occupied by women by the end of 2020.
Twenty-one percent of FTSE 100 boards and 32 percent of FTSE 250 boards have failed to meet the objective, while senior leadership teams – which include CEOs, directors, and those who report to them – were also falling short of the 33 percent target, at 29.4 percent.
Juliet Davenport, the Atrato chair, Marlene Wood, the head of the audit committee, and non-executive director Faye Goss will oversee the company’s operations. Solar photovoltaic panels will be erected on the rooftops of warehouses, factories, and other industrial structures.
