Boardroom composition is slowly but surely starting to evolve in Australia. That’s the message from Green Shoots of Change, a new review by 30%+ Club Australia and Deloitte Australia, which explores the early impact of appointing non-traditional directors – those with backgrounds in digital, customer experience, and human capital.
The review follows up on the 2022 Bold Moves in the Boardroom report, which called for a broader mix of skills at the board table to help organisations meet increasingly complex challenges—from AI and cyber threats to shifting customer expectations and workforce transformation.
So, has anything changed?
The good news is yes—change is happening. But it’s early days. The review presents five detailed case studies of boards that have recently appointed directors from underrepresented skillsets. These include appointments at Ai-Media, Newcastle Greater Mutual Group, Cuscal Limited, Heart of the Nation, and Lifestyle Communities.
What links them isn’t just the skills these directors bring, but the strategic clarity with which they were chosen. In every case, chairs were responding to an urgent business need: from digital transformation and customer engagement, to culture integration after a merger. These were not symbolic appointments—they were mission-critical.
Each case shows that adding directors with digital, marketing or people expertise can have an immediate and transformative effect. Not only do these appointments lift the quality of board discussions, they help fellow directors deepen their understanding of emerging issues and sharpen strategic thinking.
Despite the clear benefits, the review notes that most large company boards remain hesitant. With the exception of one ASX200 board, the case studies come from mutuals, mid-sized firms and not-for-profits – suggesting that innovation is happening on the fringes rather than at the core of corporate Australia.
One recurring theme is the importance of board chairs. In every success story, the chair played a decisive role – pushing for skills-based appointments, challenging narrow recruitment briefs, and championing new voices once on board.
Deloitte Australia’s Chair, Tom Imbesi, notes that building future-fit boards is no longer optional: it’s a business imperative.
Read the full report to find out more about Australia’s progress toward diversity in business leadership and 30% Club Australia’s work here.
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