FEATURE27 October 2016

Cilla Snowball in seven

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Cilla Snowball CBE is group chairman and CEO of ad agency AMV BBDO. She joined as the agency’s first new business director in 1992 and, 24 years later, oversees the three UK-based companies in the AMV Group – AMV BBDO, Proximity and Redwood. She also chairs the Women’s Business Council

Cilla Snowball

1. The Female FTSE Board Report 2016 showed that just 9.7% of directors in the FTSE 100 ( 5.6% in FTSE 250 ) are female. Why is big business so slow in this area? 

CS: As part of the Davies review, the number of women on boards doubled in four years, so big business has demonstrated its willingness to change when there is a clear target, strong leadership and an infrastructure of transparency and support. But we must be even more ambitious in developing non-executive and executive representation in the FTSE, matching our intentions with our efforts. The Hampton Alexander review will examine in detail how to improve the representation of women at the executive level and in the all-important executive pipeline. Their examination will, I’m sure, yield valuable learnings.

2. Where do you think most effective action can be taken when it comes to policies such as flexible working and maternity leave?

CS: The work we are doing on the ...