Press Release
Abcoude, The Netherlands, October 21st, 2008

Top male executives agree:
We need women on Boards NOW!

On November 11th , more than fifty top executives - all of them male- signed their names to a full page advertisement in the Dutch financial newspaper. The ad is a call for more women to be appointed to boardroom positions in Dutch businesses, specifically in the distressed financial institutions.

This follows on a first advertisement four weeks ago, in which more than 30 Dutch women top executives summoned the Wouter Bos, the Secretary of the Treasury, to include women in the process of reforming the financial sector.

This second summons by men makes mention of the fact  that women in both executive and non-executive positions contribute to the balanced view in boardrooms and have a positive influence on the culture and the management of organisations.
Holland has sufficient number of women with the  knowledge and experience to face the business challenges in the sector, and with the ability to lead financial institutions to a period of renewed profitability.

This summons to the Secretary of the Treasury is intended to ensure that women are included in the new boards that will run the financial sector companies. The underlying reasoning is that the current crisis calls for 'the best teams we have' and that these teams should be comprised of both men and women.

The Dutch treasury has gained the right to appoint Board members to those banks and insurance companies that it has nationalized or otherwise subsidized.
Bercan Günel, one of the initiators of the two messages to Mr Bos, and partner in the executive search firm Woman Capital, elucidates: " The new financial order will need new leadership. The crisis is a chance for qualified women with leadership experience to add value by helping to restore trust and stability to the sector."

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Woman Capital is an executive search firm specialized in women for top management positions, both executive and non-executive. Woman Capital's mission is to help businesses and other institutions wanting to implement gender diversity at top levels  and to increase the visibility of women with the prerequisite background and experience. The partners in Woman Capital have invested three years in finding and meeting the top women living and working in the Netherlands. Their network now numbers more than 6000 women: all of them women with drive and ambition and management experience.  

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For more information please call:
Bercan Günel, partner, Woman Capital,
Office: +31 294 256 350

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