Top Western Australian publicly listed companies with fewer women on boards than the national average may get the boost they need following the launch of a new club.
The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation has officially launched its Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy program, with some of the state's highest-profile business leaders joining 14 young professionals in a team-based fundraising challenge.
Some of the biggest names in WA business will help nurture the next wave of philanthropists in the state as part of an innovative program to raise money for the children's hospital.
Andrew Forrest has reiterated his support for Fortescue Metals Group diversifying its operations into other commodities, but said there were no immediate plans to pursue nickel, or oil and gas over its core iron ore business.
A senior figure in Western Australia's construction and mining industry, Sharon Warburton, has won this year's Telstra Business Woman of the year award for the state.
Australian of the Year Ita Buttrose has offered a bleak assessment of the level of diversity in the business sector, despite decades of effort to get more women to the top of industry.
The significant issue of female representation in the boards of Australia's companies has been pushed to the background amid the rhetoric of the gender wars being waged in Canberra.
Fortescue Metals Group has appointed Sharon Warburton as a non-executive director, from November, following the retirement of Geoff Brayshaw (pictured), who joined the WA iron ore miner in 2007.
