Singapore's boardrooms 'still dominated by men'

Women account for less than seven per cent of board positions at Singapore Exchange (SGX)-listed firms, according to new research.

The inaugural edition of the Board Diversity Report, produced by BoardAgender and the NUS Business School, indicated that Singapore's boardrooms are still dominated by male directors.

Female representation at the top level of SGX companies was just 6.9 per cent in 2010, compared with 8.6 per cent in Hong Kong and 8.1 per cent in China.

Overall, the number of directorships held by females in Singapore is low compared with other countries in the region, although a small increase has been noted in recent years, the report concluded.

"With board diversity rapidly becoming one of the standard metrics worldwide in measuring the quality of governance, we feel there is much room for improvement in Singapore," Dr Marleen Dielema of the NUS Business School told the Singapore Business Review.

The study also revealed that the average age for female directors in Singapore is currently 48 years, compared with 53 years for men.

Last month, the SGX unveiled new listing rules designed to strengthen corporate governance and improve disclosure.