TLDR: Lorna Conn, CEO of recruitment firm Cpl, has been appointed as the new chair of the 30% Club Ireland, taking over from Paula Neary of Accenture. Neary’s tenure saw significant strides in promoting gender balance in senior leadership roles. Conn’s leadership will be pivotal in continuing this momentum.
The 30% Club Ireland has announced the appointment of Lorna Conn as its new chair, succeeding Paula Neary, who has made notable contributions during her time at the helm. The organisation, which advocates for gender balance in leadership, has gained traction in recent years, underpinning the necessity for a diversified approach in business leadership.
Under Neary’s stewardship, the 30% Club strengthened its research agenda, broadened its member base, and solidified its presence as a business-led advocate for gender balance. This groundwork is essential as the conversation around equality in the workplace continues to evolve, with many organisations now recognising that diversity isn’t just a feel-good initiative—it’s a business imperative.
Conn, arriving from her role as CEO of Cpl, a leading recruitment firm, will undoubtedly face the hefty challenge of maintaining this momentum. Given her extensive experience in recruitment and talent management, there’s optimism that she will instigate fresh perspectives and strategies to encourage businesses to engage more seriously with gender equality.
Now, one can’t help but chuckle at the sheer irony here: we’re cheering for a group aiming for 30% female representation while the majority of boardrooms across Ireland remain male-dominated. It’s like trying to teach a dog to fetch while others are still debating whether or not to throw the stick. Conn’s ascendancy might be exactly what is needed, but let’s not kid ourselves—fundamentally changing corporate culture is no easy feat.
Interestingly, Conn’s journey at Cpl has highlighted the importance of not only promoting candidates based on gender but ensuring they are genuinely the right fit for the roles they occupy. This balance of meritocracy with an agenda for diversity is sometimes lost in translation and deserves a spotlight as we move forward.
A related nugget of interest: research has shown that companies with diverse leadership teams are 33% more likely to outperform their peers in terms of profitability. So, as we watch Conn take the reins of the 30% Club, perhaps we’ll see a shift where the percentage truly reflects the benefits of inclusivity—not just a token number for ticking boxes.
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