The pension sector is an example for appointing women to top positions

Dutch listed companies are unable to increase the share of women in their boardrooms (FD, 1/9). According to FD research, things are even worse for Dutch private equity firms (FD 23/9). How different is that in the pension sector. The sector has recently succeeded in appointing women to top positions. And can therefore serve as a shining example of how it can be done.

It seems that attention to gender diversity in boards of directors is waning, says corporate governance professor Mijntje Lückerath. She annually monitors the proportion of women in boardrooms. FD research shows that private equity firms pay little attention to diversity. It was also not so long ago that men dominated in the pension sector. In recent years, there has been considerable catch-up by appointing women to top positions within the sector. Examples abound. Women are now at the helm of major players such as APG, PGGM, APS, TKP, AZL, but Blue Sky Group, PNO Media, Pensioenfonds Rail & OV and Pensioenfonds Horeca & Catering are also led by women. An interesting detail is that two women from the top of DNB and AFM supervise the sector.

Bottom line, this means that in the top 20 pension funds and top five administrators, 100 women work in top positions, compared to 172 men. And when it comes to the number of recent female appointments compared to their male counterparts, it's almost even.

What the pension funds and administrators do well is that they consistently and permanently pay attention to the distribution of men and women when there are vacancies in management and supervisory boards. This is actively pursued.

Apart from the equality discussion, it is equally interesting to note that the coming pension transition will be led by women. Female administrators, directors and (project) managers are leading and guiding the most important pension change of the past century. For millions of Dutch people who are affiliated with the aforementioned pension funds, it will be reassuring to know that these women bring with them sufficient expertise and experience with, among other things, major transitions.

The pension sector can serve as an example for listed companies and private equity firms on how to get more women at the board table. The many appointments of women to top positions in the sector have recently proven this. And they will also lead the pension transition of the century. I just mean to say: it is possible.