Showcasing the Impact of the Jo Fisher Future Board Scholarship in Advancing Diversity and Preparing Young, Diverse Talent for Board Representation. Strengthening Australian Boardrooms with Future-Facing Leaders.
The Brief
Future Leadership™, building on the legacy of its founder Jo Fisher, initiated the Jo Fisher Future Board Scholarship to promote diversity in boardrooms and support young, diverse talent with future-facing capabilities.
Recognising that diversity will be a key differentiator in Australia’s future, the scholarship was designed to challenge and modernise board composition, equipping the next generation of leaders with the skills and opportunities to drive impactful governance. The program offers a 12-month development opportunity, including:
- The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Director’s course
- One-year membership to the AICD
- Director capability assessment
- Quarterly coaching and mentoring sessions
The scholarship underscores Future Leadership’s commitment to fostering leadership that reflects the rich tapestry of Australian society and business.
Candidate net Promote Score
Future Leadership combines truly personalised relationships with innovative technology solutions to ensure an approachable and efficient process for all our Net Promoter Score across clients, successful candidates and unsuccessful candidates is well above industry standard.
Candidates supported every year
We maintain genuine relationships with past candidates and continue to support them with leadership solutions long term, after they land their role.
Senior Women Appointed since 2002
Over half of the executive search assignments undertaken by our team have resulted in the appointment of outstanding female or LGBTQI+ leaders to high profile roles.
Candidate Retention Rate for 12 months since 2002
Our thorough briefing process and ability to engage passive candidates mean that we go to great lengths to find the right person for the role – long term!
The Process
The scholarship selection process involves:
- Nomination and Outreach: Engaging leaders and organisations to identify prospective scholarship recipients who exemplify future-facing capabilities and leadership potential.
- Evaluation and Assessment: Reviewing applications to ensure alignment with the scholarship’s objectives of advancing boardroom diversity and governance.
- Recipient Selection: Selecting individuals with the vision, capability, and commitment to drive positive change in governance roles.
Emerging Capabilities
Strategy and Purpose
Develops and leads strategy for the function/organisation, taking a broad and long-term perspective. Communicates and gains buy-in to organisational goals and vision, promoting change initiatives.
Culture and Engagement
Fosters a positive culture, creating a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. Creates an environment that encourages diverse perspectives and facilitates a psychologically safe environment.
Governance and Compliance
Establishes, champions, and measures the effectiveness of an organisation’s regulatory and reporting systems. Identifies and evaluates risks and develops strategies to mitigate risk.
Stakeholder Relations
Establishes rapport with stakeholders, builds and sustains trusted and collaborative relationships. Identifies and draws on relevant and diverse perspectives and integrates them to support productive interactions.
Communication and Influence
Communicates with clarity and impact to facilitate individual and collective understanding, inspire action and enable information exchange. Leverages human-centric communication and storytelling to effectively influence stakeholders across the physical and virtual realms.
The Outcome
The 2024 recipient, Vicky Peters, a proud Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta woman, currently serves as Director of Indigenous Engagement at a leading Australian university.
- Through the scholarship, Vicky completed the Victorian Government’s ECHO First Nations Women’s Leadership Program and gained insights into self-determination, Indigenous leadership, and governance.
- She has since secured significant career advancements, demonstrating the transformative impact of the program in preparing leaders for high-impact board roles.
The scholarship continues to drive its mission of equipping future leaders for board representation and advancing diversity in Australian governance.
As an Aboriginal woman, I recognise the need for a program that addresses the unique challenges faced by First Nations women. I have found the ECHO Program to be an exceptionally well-suited initiative. It is firmly rooted in cultural values, offering a strong focus on personal growth and well-being to foster resilience.
Essential elements such as empowerment, self-determination, and the preservation of Indigenous culture. These facets are integral to effective Indigenous leadership and make ECHO an invaluable resource for First Nations women seeking to navigate and excel within leadership roles.
My confidence has increased in such a profound way. I have not only gained a clearer vision of myself as a leader, I have a strategic plan to get there. This transformative program has yielded tangible results as I have recently been promoted to Director of Indigenous Engagement and I have secured the Jo Fisher Future Board Scholarship.
