Every aspiring business woman would like to hear that the glass ceiling is permanently broken. While we are not yet there—more and more organizations are striving for diversity and focusing on overcoming the fact that there are too few women in leadership positions in business. WeQual wants to change that through the WeQual Awards that honors eight women in 2021 for their achievements and their readiness to join the top ranks of their companies.
WeQual focuses on the level below the C-Suite where women are poised to take major leadership positions, but all too common opportunities begin to stall that prevents their ascension to very top. WeQual has put a spotlight on this precarious place career women reach—but do not readily move past.
In terms of the big picture WeQual seeks to promote diversity and gender equality within the group executive committees of the largest companies. The eight winners rose from a shortlist of 24 finalists who are currently holding corporate positions and judges then evaluated them on specific criteria: Leadership, Cognitive Ability, Drive and Resilience, Integrity, Emotional Intelligence, Personal Development, Approach to Equality and Knowledge of their Business. Judges were blind to the candidates’ company.
Founder and CEO of WeQual Katie Litchfield describes their organization’s efforts, stating, “WeQual identifies already successful senior women who are qualified to be appointed to the group C-suite. Our mission is to tackle the slow progress in appointing diverse women to executive roles and highlight successes where they occur“.
The eight winners and their companies from around the world are:
- Heather Cykoski, Group Vice President of ABB (Leadership Excellence category)
- Jen Lloyd, Vice President, Precision Technology and Platforms BU of Analog Devices
(Technological Impact category)
- Noopur Davis, EVP, Chief Product and Information Security Officer of Comcast (Business Security category)
- Christina Montgomery, VP, Chief Privacy Officer of IBM (Commercial Innovation category)
- Terecina Kwong, Chief Operating Officer, HSBC Europe of HSBC (Operational Performance category)
- Juggy Sihota, Vice President, Consumer Health of TELUS (Canada) (Business Transformation category)
- Monique French, Chief Credit Officer of CIBC FirstCaribbean (Jamaica)
- Paula Costa, Marketing Vice-President, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil of Diageo (Business Turnaround category)
Executives held 30-minute interviews with the candidates, narrowing it down to three finalists in each category before choosing each winner. The judges were comprised of executives from corporations such as Douglas Peterson, CEO of S&P Global, Ann Cairns, Executive Vice-Chair of Mastercard, Steve Cahillane, President and Chairman of Kellogg Company and others.
Litchfield expresses concern that the pandemic may impact the progress of women who are trying to move into top leadership positions in organizations during this stressful time. They face many demands—with some initial reports indicating that women are having to make difficult choices regarding family obligations and their work commitments. But Litchfield is optimistic about women entering top leadership positions in business.
“The fact that we are able to celebrate the achievements of these women in major companies at this time sets a shining example to others,” says Katie Litchfield.
Read about other Efforts to Have More Women in the C-Suite.
