Do the most prestigious roles always open more doors?
In this video, Isabel Fernandez-Mateo, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School, shares research on what happens after reaching the boards of the UK’s largest companies.
Using data on FTSE 100 directors over several years, the study finds that women are, on average, more likely than men to receive additional board appointments. But as firm prominence increases, this advantage fades and eventually reverses. Men gain more opportunities from the most prominent boards, while women become less likely to receive new appointments.
The findings suggest that inequality at the top is not only about access to prestigious roles, but also how those roles work in practice and shape career progression over time.
In this video, Isabel Fernandez-Mateo, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School, shares research on what happens after reaching the boards of the UK’s largest companies.
Using data on FTSE 100 directors over several years, the study finds that women are, on average, more likely than men to receive additional board appointments. But as firm prominence increases, this advantage fades and eventually reverses. Men gain more opportunities from the most prominent boards, while women become less likely to receive new appointments.
The findings suggest that inequality at the top is not only about access to prestigious roles, but also how those roles work in practice and shape career progression over time.