Female chairs of ASX 200 companies
April 22, 2022
This list tracks all the female directors who have chaired ASX200 companies.
Ilana Atlas: the last chair of Coca Cola Amatil before it was taken over in May 2021 by its European cousin.
Elizabeth Alexander: the former PWC partner was a long-term chair of CSL and a former director of Amcor and Boral, where she chaired the audit committee. Currently chairs Medibank Private, serves on Dexus funds management boards and is a past President of the AICD after defeating fellow Boral director Ken Moss in a contested ballot.
Elizabeth Bryan: the former CEO of NSW State Super who went on to chair Virgin Australia until it collapsed in 2020. Has also chaired IAG and Caltex. She also served on the Westpac board and previous gigs included Ridley Corp, Guild Insurance and she was also chair of Australia's second biggest industry fund, Unisuper.
Paula Dwyer: chaired Tabcorp for almost a decade and also chaired Healthscope before it was taken over.
Katherine Fagg: chair of Boral until the Kerry Stokes takeover and also on the board of Incitec Pivot.
Jacqueline Hey: commenced as chair of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank in October 2019. See announcement.
Tracey Horton: lost her spot on this list when the Navitas takeover went through in 2019 but has also served on the GPT board and is a former director of Skilled Group and Automotive Holdings.
Vicki McFadden: former chair of Skilled Group and current chair of GPT.
Rebecca McGrath: chair of OZ Minerals and a director of Goodman Group and Incitec Pivot.
Christine McLoughlin: became chairman of Suncorp in September 2018 and didn't take long to move on her CEO Michael Cameron.
Catherine Livingstone: former chair of Telstra, current chair of CBA.
Sally Pitkin: current chair of Super Retail Group.
Elizabeth Proust: stepped up to be chair of Lend Lease in 2021.
Former female ASX200 chairs
Catherine Brenner: chaired AMP for three years until shortly before the 2018 AGM.
Meredith Hellicar: chaired James Hardie from 2004 until 2007 during the asbestos scandals.
Belinda Hutchinson: former Citibank and Macquarie Group executive who chaired QBE Insurance from 2010 until 2014. Formerly a director of Coles Myer, Crane, Telstra, Energy Australia, TAB Ltd and Sydney Water and has served on AGL board since 2010. Also currently chancellor of Sydney University.
Margaret Jackson: chaired Qantas for 7 years.
Linda Nicholls: former chairman of Australia Post and former Victorian chairman of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Was chair of Healthscope until private equity take over and now chairs Japara Health. Chair of Yarra Trams in Victoria and also a director of Sigma Pharmaceutical, Medibank Private, Pacific Brands and Fairfax Media. Former director of St George Bank and Victoria's Transport Accident Commission.
Helen Nugent: former Westpac strategy chief who spent 15 years on Macquarie Group board, including almost a decade chairing remuneration committee before retiring in 2014. Was the chair of ASX200 company VEDA Insurance until $2.5 billion takeover in 2015.
Elana Rubin: was the chair of Afterpay for a couple of years until it was taken over by Square-Block in 2021.
Diane Smith-Gander: the leading Perth-based female directors and was briefly the only female director of Wesfarmers after the departure of Patricia Cross in early 2010. She was a former executive at Westpac and did a long stint as a partner at McKinsey. Joined Transfield Services in October 2010 and became chair before the takeover. Also a former deputy chair of NBN Co.
Dr Nora Scheinkestel: a banker with experience at CRA, Macquarie Bank, Chase AMP and Deutsche Bank, she's now an associate professor at the Melbourne Business School who has sat on boards including Orica, Telstra, Macquarie Atlas, Pacific Brands, Mayne Group, Mayne Pharma, North Ltd, Newcrest and Paperlinx. Chaired Atlas Alteria, the old Macquarie Atlas Roads, until November 2020.
Kate Spargo: was chair of UGL before it was bought by CIMIC group, then served as an independent director of CIMIC.
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