MARION FULKER

The time is right to tackle gender imbalance in WA companies, the chief executive of Committee for Perth tells Helen Shield.

Biggest or best career break?

At 39 I was made CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Australia, the WA division. That took me from being someone with a lot of aspiration and raw talent into a leadership position. I felt I’d come home. I just thrived.

Describe your leadership style.

I’ve got a vision, I don’t like injustice, I don’t like waste or lack of efficiency. I’m very systems driven. I like to lead by example.

First or most unusual job?

I had an unfortunate experience in the dotcom era, in a locally based company, and that taught me to do a lot of due diligence.

Most influential mentors?

Luckily I get to mix with the best and the greatest and I get to learn by being around them. Sam Walsh, chief executive of Rio Tinto, was one of the founding directors of Committee for Perth. Russell Perry was my president at UDIA and chairman at Rugby WA and gave me my first board position, at Rugby WA. I am incredibly fortunate to meet business, political and civic leaders all day, everyday.

What’s been the response from Perth’s male business leaders to the Filling the Pool study?

Lots of very heartfelt congratulations. I think they understand the rigour of the process and I think they really appreciate the road map. There’s a process to follow. I don’t think that Perth’s business leaders have been inactive on this issue. They have all been trying something and that something is working to a degree — or not — whereas this is a really comprehensive way forward. I certainly haven’t had anyone say, “you are wrong” or “how dare you”.

What’s the title of the study referring to?

Filling the Pool is about getting more women into more influencing and decision-making roles in corporate Perth. And that’s because we fare so badly. In our (Committee for Perth) conversations about the future of Perth, we just didn’t have enough women around the table. It’s just one piece of the diversity puzzle but we felt that if you couldn’t deal with the issue that was affecting 51 per cent of the population you had no chance of getting into the broader diversity issues.

Why is gender diversity such an issue at work?

Men often say, “give us the facts”, and the facts have been clearly on the table for at least a decade. Women are in a vexed position because they say, “I want to be appointed on merit”. The quota discussion has been such a wedge. I think it’s difficult because if you are not given the opportunity you can’t prove yourself, but if you are given the opportunity and it’s based on quotas, you feel you weren’t appointed because you were the best person.

Why do we struggle with this more in WA?

Because of our underpinning economy. We are twice as dependent on the mining and resources sector than Sydney is on the financial services sector. Mining, engineering and construction — that’s male-dominated. We are trying to break down barriers where the wall is just so high. Women haven’t traditionally been knocking on those doors either. The study found if you are not in a line management job, you are not going to become a CEO and the director pool comes from CEOs. So we have got to get more girls studying STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) so that they will then take on the courses at university that will get them into those line management roles. Or change the way we value work and the contribution that people make.

Do you use social media?

I use Facebook for work and personally. Having grown up on the east coast, it’s a great way of keeping connected with my friends and family over there.

How do you spend your spare time?

I love to read, I love to sleep, I love to cook. Every year we have a major trip away and my husband says then I become Mrs Fun-Loving.

What was the last book you read?

For work I have to read a lot of reports, facts and figures, so when I am at home it’s escapism. I have lots of stuff on my Kindle. At the moment I’m reading a chick-lit book — I couldn’t even tell you the name.

Favourite holiday destination?

Italy. I just love the food. We are real foodies and having a prosecco at 5 o’clock every day just says you are on holidays. We have a bit of a league table of best gelatos.

Why did Committee for Perth decide this study was important?

We have 102 name-brand companies, that support Committee for Perth. Shell underwrote 75 per cent of the research cost and Shell general manager Michael Schoch has put himself out there. I’m sure when he’s climbing Jacob’s Ladder on Sunday morning, his mates will tell him what they think about it. Women are worried about speaking up. It was hard to get women to be interviewed. No one wants to be the poster child on this issue. I’m a change agent and I’m brave. So I’ve also put myself out there. We have had success in promoting reconciliation. To me it feels like it’s the right time, with the right people, the right evidence and the right solution.