A third of all board positions in the UK’s FTSE 100 companies are now held by women, meaning that a key target of the Government-backed Hampton-Alexander Review has been met almost one year early — entirely on a voluntary basis and “without the need for legislation, fines or penalties”.

However, figures from the Review highlight “a concerning lack of female representation” in senior leadership and key executive roles in FTSE companies; for example, just 15% of FTSE 100 finance directors are women.

The Review shows that further work is needed for many FTSE 100 companies individually — and for the FTSE 250 overall — to meet the 33% target; the current level is 29.5%.

Denise Wilson, who heads the Hampton-Alexander Review (www.ftsewomenleaders.com/about-us), added: “Half of all available appointments to FTSE 350 leadership roles need to go to women in 2020, not only to meet the 33% voluntary target but also to ensure that UK business fully benefits from diverse perspectives and is availing itself of the whole talent pool.”