Internet opens Britainís boardrooms to diverse gene pool

The internet could be the key to unlocking more diverse non-executive talent including women and candidates from minority groups, according to Betty Thayer, chief executive of exec-appointments.com.

Following the successful launch of the companyís new National Register for Non-Executive Directors (www.non-exec-register.com), Thayer said: ìWe are already attracting interest from non-traditional sources. The great thing about the internet is that there are few barriers.î Recent surveys have revealed that almost half the existing non-executives have been recruited through personal contacts or friendships.

The register has been launched specifically to be wide-ranging both in terms of companies searching for candidates and executives seeking a NEDship. ìThere are other NED lists and we have links to these on our site. But they tend to centre around venture capital and start-ups and are usually London-centric, or they are specific to just one recruitment company. Ours is the only one that has made an effort to service individuals and firms in all sectors, UK and Europe-wide.î

The new member-based register provides practising and aspiring NEDs access to positions in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Candidates can also be matched to an extensive range of opportunities from the countryís top recruiters, as well as company directors and HR professionals. Through strategic partnerships with Classic FM and The Business newspaper, the site is promoted to millions of ABC1s.

A key objective will be to tap into the often over-looked talent available in the not-for-profit sector. To achieve this the register has forged an important link with the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations. A programme is also being developed with the business-led group, London First, to encourage FTSE 250 companies to consider board appointments of women and minorities.

Other features of the NED website include a series of original articles on topical NED issues, company profiles and news summaries. There is an online information centre, guidance on finding the right non-executive, access to key reports such as the Higgs review and information on training and corporate governance.

Thayer says: ìWe are aiming high. We want to be the place where employers and recruiters find top-flight non-executives and vice versa ñ faster, better and cheaper than they can anywhere else.î