New Zealand’s BoardConnector Surpasses Growth Target

According to Grigg, increasing women's representation on boards strengthens decision-making by bringing broader perspectives and a wider range of experience to leadership tables.

New Zealand's BoardConnector programme has exceeded its first-year growth target, with the Ministry for Women's governance database attracting far more new members than expected as interest in board leadership opportunities continues to rise. Minister for Women Nicola Grigg said the strong response shows that more women are seeking governance roles and that organisations have access to a growing pool of experienced candidates for public and private sector boards.

Membership More Than Doubles Initial Growth Goal

In June 2025, the Ministry for Women was tasked with increasing the BoardConnector database by 20 per cent, equivalent to 160 new members, during the 2025/26 financial year. That goal was achieved by March 2026, and momentum continued after the launch of the refreshed BoardConnector platform. Since then, the database has welcomed 349 new registrations, bringing total membership to more than 1,140 women.

Grigg said the growth demonstrates that New Zealand has a strong pipeline of women ready to contribute their expertise, leadership and professional experience to governance positions across a wide range of sectors.

Supporting Women on Their Governance Journey

BoardConnector is designed to help women at different stages of their governance careers by providing access to board vacancies, professional development opportunities and information that supports leadership growth.

The platform connects aspiring and experienced board members with organisations seeking skilled candidates, making it easier for women to pursue governance roles and expand their professional networks.

According to Grigg, increasing women's representation on boards strengthens decision-making by bringing broader perspectives and a wider range of experience to leadership tables.

New Growth Target Set for the Coming Year

Following the programme's strong performance, the Ministry for Women has set a new objective to increase BoardConnector membership by another 20 per cent over the next year.

Achieving that target would add at least 230 more women to the database, further expanding the pool of candidates available for governance appointments across New Zealand.

The initiative also supports the Government's goal of ensuring 50 per cent of Crown appointments are held by women, with BoardConnector serving as one of the sources for identifying qualified candidates.

Members Secure Key Board Appointments

Several BoardConnector members have recently been appointed to significant governance positions.

These include Rowena Davenport, who has been appointed Deputy Chair of Sport New Zealand, Gina Mills, who has joined the Sport New Zealand Board, and Alaina Kalyan, who has been appointed as a health practitioner member of the Dental Council.

The Government says these appointments demonstrate how the programme is helping connect skilled women with leadership opportunities while strengthening governance across New Zealand's public sector.