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| Christine Holgate |
Australian Football League side Collingwood "recruited one of Australia's leading chief executives" to its board, according to Samantha Lane of THE AGE. The "addition of Christine Holgate, British-born boss of booming ASX-listed supplements empire Blackmores, means two women will sit at the top table of power at the AFL's most iconic club for the first time."
The development "comes amid broader concerted efforts by the Magpies to develop, retain and promote women already working in football, and attract more females -- whether fans or future employees -- generally."
When the AFL launches a women's league next year, Collingwood is among the clubs that wants a team in the competition "that promises to transform the code." Holgate, voted CEO of '15 by the CEO Institute and CEO Magazine, has spoken about "the clear opportunity she sees for Collingwood to lift its membership through pioneering international initiatives." Asked for her thoughts on joining a "historically thin rank" of females appointed to have "genuine influence among AFL decision-makers," Holgate said that "she would relish the opportunity." The former non-exec director for Ten Network Holdings Ltd., who has worked internationally in telecommunications, Internet businesses and investment banking, underlined that the picture on the gender-hierarchy score is "considerably" brighter for women at AFL clubs than it is in the upper echelons of Australian business.
Holgate said, "My skill set and my background is quite different from the other board members. I hope that my experience in supporting Australian brands create new areas for growth both domestically and internationally, and building new revenue streams, can help the club" (
THE AGE, 2/1).
