When the spotlight limits opportunity

In a recent episode of Business Talk, Isabel Fernández-Mateo, Adecco Chair at London Business School and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, discussed her study “Unequal in the Spotlight: Gender Differences in How Serving on Prominent Boards Affects Future Appointments.”

Her research, co-authored with Raina Brands and Hans Frankort, explores a striking paradox: men who serve on the most prominent corporate boards tend to gain more opportunities afterwards, while women often gain fewer.

“We expected women to benefit more from prominence,” Fernández-Mateo said. “These roles are highly visible signals of competence, which typically advantage underrepresented groups. But the data showed the opposite.”

The study examines FTSE 100 firms between 2010 and 2017, a period marked by efforts to increase female board representation. While women were generally more likely than men to gain additional board seats, this advantage reversed at the most prestigious firms, where their subsequent appointments declined.This points to a subtler inequality: not just who accesses elite roles, but how those roles shape future career trajectories.

“Getting into these roles is one step,” she noted. “Whether they enable or constrain what comes next is another.”

The findings suggest that the signalling value of prestigious board service is not evenly translated into future opportunities. Even with strong qualifications and high-visibility experience, women do not see the same returns as men at the top tier. For companies, headhunters, and policymakers, the implication is clear.

“It’s not enough to open doors,” Fernández-Mateo emphasised. “We have to ensure these roles remain stepping stones, not bottlenecks.” While focused on corporate boards, the pattern likely extends to other elite settings: prominence increases visibility, but does not guarantee mobility.

“Ultimately,” she concluded, “this is more for organisations to change than for individuals to fix.”

Listen to the podcast, here