Phases 2 and 3 of the jointly managed “Women Directors Program for 2023” saw a total of 19 female directors successfully complete the program which saw the Kumul Consolidated Holdings managing director, Professor David Kavanamur and the New Zealand High Commissioner, Peter Zwart certify the 19 women. The training is an initiative of KCH and its vision on promoting women on SOE boards in the country. At present there are 20% women representation on SOE boards. The Women Directorship Program is aimed at achieving 30% female representation on SOE boards by the end of December 2025. Women participants with diverse professional backgrounds, completed the first phase of the training delivered earlier this year in partnership with ADB. The New Zealand Government through MFAT funded the second and third phases and facilitated by New Zealand Institute of Directors. During the presentation, Professor Kavanamur congratulated the participants who now represent the second batch of participants to have completed the Women Directors’ Program since the inception of the program in 2021. Professor Kavanamur said this program was a commitment by Kumul Consolidated Holdings to foster good leadership within its SOEs with a particular focus on female representation to cater to existing, new, and potential Board directors for these enterprises. “The training creates a platform for learning and growth for these potential female SOE directors." "In just two years we have graduated 34 women in total." "We look forward to continuing our partnership with MFAT for future director programs,” Professor Kavanamur said. He also added that KCH anticipated future partnerships with MFAT to increase additional cohorts of women directors to undergo training on broader governance and leadership programs.