Foreign Pressure Is Leading to More Women on Japan’s Boards
- Naomi Koshi, CEO of OnBoard says some co. chiefs are ‘afraid’
- Women now make up 17% of Nikkei 225 index firms’ board seats
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Pressure from foreign investors has spurred a serious move among Japanese companies to look for more female board members this year, according to a startup chief that helps firms do just that.
Formerly Japan’s youngest female mayor when she was in her mid-thirties, Naomi Koshi is the CEO of OnBoard K.K., which specializes in training and connecting potential female board members to Japanese corporates. More companies, especially listed ones, are seeking her help this year because of their promise to foreign investors and peer pressure from others in the same industry, Koshi said.