Putting More Women on Boards Is Not Enough Without Rethinking Leadership

 

For the past decade, the maritime industry has made increasing efforts to improve diversity at the top, most visibly through a focus on gender balance in boardrooms. But while headlines around the number of women appointed to shipping boards suggest progress, the reality is more complex. True transformation does not come from merely increasing representation. It comes from challenging and redefining the deeply embedded assumptions about what leadership looks like.

The majority of shipping companies still recruit board members based on traditional markers of leadership such as long tenure at sea, technical expertise or financial control. These criteria often reward legacy thinking and reinforce a narrow leadership profile. That profile is usually male, often uniform, and almost always aligned with past performance rather than future potential.

This is not just a gender issue. It is a governance issue. When boardrooms lack diversity of experience, thought and style, they are less likely to identify new risks, question groupthink or explore unconventional paths to growth. This matters now more than ever, as the industry faces significant transformation. Climate transition, digital disruption, geopolitical volatility and heightened social accountability are not theoretical challenges. They require board-level leadership that is far more adaptive and forward-looking than in the past.

Through my work leading The Blue MBA at Copenhagen Business School, I have seen the impact that broader and more inclusive leadership can make. Our participants come from across the global maritime value chain, bringing different cultural perspectives, disciplines and leadership styles. They are pushed to question what they think they know, to challenge outdated mindsets and to broaden their strategic understanding of the industry.

That same ethos underpins our Blue Board Leadership Programme. It was launched in response to a clear industry need: better prepared board members who understand the full complexity of maritime leadership today. The program does not train people to slot into outdated governance models. It encourages them to rethink the boardroom itself. That includes preparing women not just to join boards, but to shape them from within.

The push for board diversity must move beyond simply placing more women in existing structures. We must instead evolve the structures themselves. That means reshaping how we define credibility, influence and leadership potential. It means understanding that command-and-control leadership, while useful in operational settings, is not always appropriate in strategic boardroom discussions. Collaborative thinking, emotional intelligence, ethical reasoning and openness to ambiguity are increasingly critical boardroom competencies.

We must also look closely at the dynamics that unfold once women are appointed. Too often, women are brought in to fulfil quotas or tick ESG boxes, without being given the same opportunity to shape direction or contribute to meaningful debate. This kind of tokenism undermines both the individual and the board. True inclusion means creating environments where different voices are heard, respected and allowed to influence decisions.

Leadership reform must be part of maritime’s transformation story. Boards need to become spaces where leadership is understood not as a title or CV, but as a mindset and a capability. We must prepare the next generation of board members to think differently, act ethically and lead collaboratively.

Adding more women to maritime boards is essential. But it is not enough. We must also change the conditions in which leadership is exercised. That includes how we select leaders, how we share influence, and which behaviors we choose to value. If we want resilient and relevant maritime organizations, we must stop replicating yesterday’s boardroom in today’s world.

Irene Rosberg is Program Director at The Blue MBA and the Blue Board Leadership Program, Copenhagen Business School.