You may have heard of the ‘John Problem’. In 2023, headlines marked the first year female CEOs in the S&P 500 outnumbered CEOs named John. While that statistic refers to chief executives rather than boards, it illustrates how narrow leadership pipelines have historically been, and how long it can take for change to show up at the top.
The issue is not a lack of capable women. Hospitality is often majority female at entry level, but representation thins as seniority increases.
As Shereen Ritchie, co-founder of Boardwalk, points out, the problem is not one barrier but several overlapping ones: confidence, access, informal networks, and the way boards are still recruited.
Confidence gap
Confidence is often framed as a personal failing, but both Ritchie and Jackie Moody-McNamara of Be Brilliant Women argue it is systemic.
Women tend to wait until they feel fully qualified before putting themselves forward, while men are more likely to apply or be sponsored once they meet part of the criteria. Over time, this compounds.
Typically, women second guess readiness, hesitate to ask for exposure, and underestimate the value they already bring, particularly at board level where lived experience and judgement matter as much as technical expertise.
Access is the second fault line. Board appointments in hospitality are still heavily network led, often shaped by long standing relationships and informal recommendation rather than open recruitment. Those networks tend to favour people who look and sound like those already in the room.
Networking itself is also unevenly accessible. Board conversations happen in the evenings, over drinks, at sporting events, or through social rituals that do not always work for women juggling caring responsibilities or who do not see themselves reflected there.
Changing the system
This is not a men versus women issue. Both Ritchie and McNamara are clear that progress only happens when men are active participants.
Many of the strongest sponsors of women in hospitality are male leaders who consciously create space, invite women into board discussions, and challenge homogenous shortlists.
Sponsorship, not just mentoring, is critical. That means advocating for women when they are not in the room, putting names forward for board exposure, and backing capability with action.
Being ‘board ready’ also needs reframing. It is not about mimicking male leadership styles or waiting to be invited. It is about visibility, feedback and experience. Women need opportunities to present to boards, attend meetings, and receive direct, honest feedback early, not once they reach executive level.
Numerous studies have shown that more diverse boards make better decisions and deliver stronger long-term performance, because they bring broader perspective and are more likely to challenge assumptions.
It is these structural barriers around confidence, access and sponsorship that initiatives such as Boardwalk and Be Brilliant Women are designed to address, focusing on practical intervention rather than surface level solutions.
If hospitality wants more women around board tables, it needs to stop asking why women are not stepping forward and start asking how systems can change to meet them halfway. The talent is already there, the task now is removing the barriers that are holding women back.
