Launched alongside the Female FTSE Board Report, which provides an annual analysis of women on the boards of FTSE 350 companies, the Women to Watch shines a light on the impressive talent pool of women in business.

The list spotlights 100 leading female professionals who the authors believe are ideally suited for consideration as non-executive directors (NEDs) on the boards of FTSE 350 companies now or in the near future.

Vicky Davies joined the Board of Danske Bank UK in 2016 and was appointed Deputy CEO in 2019. In September 2021 she became the first female chief executive in the bank’s 200-year history and one of the few women to hold such a senior role across Northern Ireland’s banking sector. Commenting on the Women to Watch list she said:

“It is truly an honour for me to lead this organisation so I’m very humbled to have been included in this list. I’m so proud of the people that we have at Danske Bank and am fortunate to be supported by a fantastic senior team and Board.

“As Northern Ireland’s biggest bank, we are a reflection of the local economy, and have a key role to play in its economic recovery. Diversity of thinking and inclusivity is fundamental to our success as an organisation and something I’m personally hugely passionate about. Of course this means more women in senior positions, but it also means diversity in terms of race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age and so much more. Promoting diversity in its broadest sense will enable us to truly connect with our customers, increase innovation and be a more attractive place to work. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved so far - but there is still so much to do if we are to achieve our objectives and really make a difference.”

The Women to Watch supplement was introduced by Cranfield University’s Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Centre in 2009. The 2022 list includes women from a wide range of industries and backgrounds, and is geographically diverse with women from across Europe, Asia, Africa and the USA represented.

Hilary Sears, Visiting Fellow of Cranfield School of Management and author of the 2022 Women to Watch list, said:

“We have continued to witness change caused by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and in the way that people want to work. Companies are facing challenges in recruitment, retention and skill shortages. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is on the C-Suite agenda, as are data and digitalisation. These latter challenges (ESG and data) are so important that I have sought this skill set and included more women with them than ever before.

“Diverse boards make better decisions and there is no shortage of talented women ready to take up roles in the boardroom. Through this selected list of dynamic women, we hope to help companies accelerate their progress on creating a truly inclusive workforce.”