Leading the Way: How Page Executive Is Redefining Boardroom Inclusion

By Mark Beacom, Partner & Global Board Practice Lead

At Page Executive, we believe in taking purposeful action to shape the future of leadership. While many talk about diversity and inclusion, we are focused on doing something different. Our commitment to inclusive leadership goes beyond aspiration. It is embedded in how we operate, who we partner with, and how we help shape tomorrow’s boards.

Research from McKinsey consistently links leadership diversity to stronger business performance, more holistic growth and increased workforce satisfaction. So any slowdown in progress leads to reflection.

Personally, I’ve seen how opportunity can evolve from one generation to the next. I grew up in a low-income, single-parent household and was the first in my family to go to university. Today, my children are growing up in a different world, one with more access, support and awareness. Still, the journey toward inclusive leadership is far from guaranteed.

Fortunately, many organisations continue to view inclusion as a core component of sustainable leadership. Just last week, I spoke with the Chief People Officer of a global company headquartered in the UK. Their message was clear. Fostering diverse leadership remains a strategic priority. Encouragingly, this is a sentiment we’re seeing echoed across a growing number of businesses. At Page Executive, we share that perspective and we’ve built our approach around it.

The Blind Spots of Exclusively Merit-Based Hiring

Misconceptions about DEI have historically pushed it back as well. One of the most common is that diversity-driven hiring and merit-driven hiring are at odds with each other. In short, people often believe that a meritocracy is the fairer approach. The standard practices of merit-based hiring often ignore the systemic barriers that have historically limited access to opportunities for certain groups. Code-switching demonstrates this blind spot.

For those who aren’t familiar with the term, code-switching involves adjusting one’s style of speech, appearance, behaviour and expression in ways that will optimise the comfort of others in exchange for fair treatment, quality service and employment opportunities (HBR). The problem is that many diverse candidates feel that they have to put on a certain facade to be respected in an interview or accepted in a workplace where their own style or cultural approach is less valued than that of a typical, white male-dominated work environment.

For example, if a woman is quieter, the status quo can lead to her crucial input being overlooked. On the other hand, if she speaks up as loudly as her male counterparts, she could be perceived as pushy or difficult. Seeking to avoid stereotypes is hard work and can deplete cognitive resources and hinder candidate performance. Feigning commonality with colleagues also reduces authentic self-expression and contributes to burnout (HBR).

The Business Case for Inclusive Boards

Beyond values, diversity in leadership continues to be a competitive advantage. According to McKinsey, companies that rank higher in ethnic diversity outperform their peers by an average of 27 percent. Gender-diverse boards are also linked to improved decision-making and stronger long-term performance.

Yet despite growing awareness, structural hurdles remain. For example, in countries that have implemented board diversity quotas such as France, Germany, Spain and Italy, initial progress was often driven by the appointment of women to non-executive director (NED) roles. While this addressed representation in part, executive boardrooms still skew heavily male. In the UK’s FTSE 350, women hold 42 percent of board seats, but only 12.2 percent of executive roles (Financial Times, 2023).

While this approach isn’t inherently bad, it is flawed. It overlooks the fact that it takes years to train and develop individuals to progress to C-suite positions. Many of the women appointed as NEDs unfortunately did not have the opportunity to experience that development and skipped one or even two C-suite roles, resulting in a further reduction in female talent at the executive board level.

Motivations for Change

Regardless of initial tokenism or organisational challenges, what I’ve found is that what often begins as an external push for diversification ends up being a genuine desire for an increasingly inclusive environment after witnessing the positive effects of these initiatives.

With increased board diversity, I would argue that you get better board decisions, more sustainable businesses and more sustainable growth. I like to use a version of the tortoise and the hare analogy here. A board could take a big gamble, and it could either have a quick payoff or it could go terribly wrong. Whereas if the board makes sensible, long-term decisions, the benefits are more significant. The point is that sustainable growth always pays more than risky gambles. Diversity in the boardroom improves outcomes and reduces risks (The Not-So-White Paper). Additionally, companies are experiencing significant commercial and risk-mitigation benefits when they diversify board structure.

I’m happy to say that generally speaking, we’ve made leaps and bounds further down the path of progress from a cultural perspective. The problem remains the availability of senior board candidates from an underrepresented racial or socio-economic background due to a lack of development at the organisational level. The question we need to be asking is what can we actively do to support the development of these individuals as they advance in their careers, setting them up for future board opportunities.

Empowering Asian and Black Leaders Through ENABL

Out of this question, the Empowerment Network for Asian and Black Leaders (ENABL) came to life. ENABL fosters pathways to Non-Executive Director roles for Asian and Black executive leaders while continuing to develop and inspire the next generation of top leadership talent.

While progress has been made, there are still massive disparities that exist for Black and Asian board members in the UK. In the FTSE 250, 12 percent of board positions were held by Black, Brown and other non-White minority directors, up from 10 percent in 2021 (Parker Review). However, recently the appointment of ethnic minority directors has slowed. By April 2024, only 4 percent of the 196 new directors appointed were from ethnic minority backgrounds, a major decline from 15 percent the previous year. Currently, 12.5 percent of all directors identify as having an ethnic minority background (Parker Review). ENABL seeks to raise that percentage.

This organisation was started by a team of leaders from these underrepresented communities, including Partner DEI and HR, Catherine Osaigbovo, and Partner UK, Aaran Dosanjh. ENABL’s third co-founder and Director of DEI and Social Impact, Joanna McCrae, shared:

I have frequently noticed a real lack of opportunities out there for Black and Asian professionals looking to land their first Non-Executive Director role. There’s certainly no shortage of talent. However, I don’t believe it’s being nurtured effectively. ENABL is a curated programme to get these talented leaders with great potential NED-ready. Through various workshops and sessions, the aim is to equip them with the necessary advanced skills and confidence to go on and succeed.

Joanna McCrae

Likewise, it creates a structure for executive search partners to source from when seeking out diverse candidates and creating shortlists, giving them the opportunity to ask, first and foremost, who is in the ENABL network who could be right for this role. ENABL has organised collaborative events with clients, where members can network and gain access to career opportunities through face-to-face interaction. With the success of ENABL’s London events, the plan is to expand reach to other areas of the UK, hoping to increase the impact of community even more.

We’re focused on growing the ENABL community in regions like the Midlands and the North West, areas with vibrant, diverse populations and outstanding British businesses poised for growth. To support this, we see real value in expanding our network through more in-person events, while also facilitating introductions to our client base. Ultimately, our goal is to spark meaningful partnerships and create opportunities that benefit everyone involved.

Aaran Dosanjh
Senior Partner

When it comes to conscious leadership, ENABL truly represents the essence of the word conscious. It is intentional and implies action. It is a great example of noticing a problem that needs to be solved and actively making moves to improve it. Instead of just talking about how recruiters don’t know how to access racially diverse networks, we are presenting an entry point.

There’s no better example of this than Page Executive’s partnership with Standard Life. Standard Life is part of Phoenix Group, which is listed in the FTSE 100. Phoenix is the largest long-term savings and retirement business in the UK with £283 billion assets under administration, 12 million customers and 7,800 employees. In partnership with Pensions Management Institute (PMI), Standard Life launched the Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP), a fully funded two-year training programme for aspirants from underrepresented groups looking to become qualified trustees.

Knowing about our access to a diverse leadership talent pool and the DEI solutions we offer, Phoenix’s Group Head of Talent Acquisition reached out to us to lead an inclusive recruitment process for TAP.

According to Donna Walsh, the Head of Master Trust for Standard Life, this is how the process went: “Designing and launching a pioneering training programme to help people from diverse backgrounds to become trustee-ready was the easy part. Attracting and selecting diverse candidates would prove more challenging. That was until we worked with Page Executive. Their professional and collaborative approach helped ensure we jointly agreed this unique brief and they were able to support a targeted selection exercise through their executive leadership networks. Their help, support and guidance, as well as enthusiasm, was exceptional all the way through and I am delighted with the six people we have joining our programme through Page Executive. Thank you to the team for making this such a supported and enjoyable experience.”

These outcomes aren’t just felt by clients and candidates; DEI leaders across the industry recognise the importance of moving beyond awareness into action: 

Jo Geraghty, Director at Culture Consultancy, reflects:

Real inclusion takes more than good intentions; it requires education, inclusive leadership, and long-term cultural change. Page Executive’s programmes like ENABL and the Trustee Accelerator go beyond targets or tick-box hiring to create real access and development for underrepresented talent. The most effective boards are those where every member can contribute authentically and challenge constructively. Without true inclusion, businesses risk missing out on the innovation and risk mitigation that diversity brings. It’s up to leaders to embed DEI into everyday decision-making.

On a Personal Note

As a middle-aged white man who has never faced discrimination, the irony of my passion about this topic is not lost on me. I do, however, have some skin in the game. I am lucky that I met an exceptionally wonderful Latin American woman 15 years ago. We have two blended sons who I refer to as Salsa Celtica due to their Central American and Scottish roots, so all this diversity stuff is literally close to home.

I will leave the last word to Roger Goodell, the NFL’s Commissioner. The NFL produced revenues of $20 billion in 2024. He certainly knows that training elite-level players does not happen overnight. “We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get into or out of. Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent, both on and off the field.”

So why would any organisation want to limit the talent it can put on the field?

Page Executive’s Support

At Page Executive, we offer support to give diverse candidates what they need to succeed in the boardroom and beyond. From connecting executive recruiters with the right networks to helping diverse communities overcome barriers, we look forward to continuing to create opportunities for gender, socioeconomic and neurodiversity at the board level. For more information about ENABL or our Board practice, please reach out to me or Catherine.

> Request a meeting now