‘The talent is there’: Is Singapore’s push for board diversity turning a corner?

Progress has been made, but questions remain over whether inclusion is now structural or still symbolic

With women occupying barely a quarter of board positions in the largest Singapore-listed firms, Carol Fong is among the few female directors who have made it to the top.

The 64-year-old independent non-executive director at City Developments Ltd and group chief executive officer of CGS International Securities has spent more than three decades navigating the male-dominated world of finance.

Fong says that she is encouraged by the progress made so far, with Singapore making “commendable strides” in board diversity, particularly in raising awareness and increasing female representation.