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Gender and Professional Networks on Bank Boards

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Abstract

Women are underrepresented on bank boards. Using a newly compiled dataset of bank board membership over the 1999-2018 period, we find that within-board professional networks are extensive, but female board members are significantly less connected than male directors, both in number and length of connections. We also find that professional networks play an important role in determining the appointment of bank board directors. Connections also positively impact compensation for female directors, especially connections to other women. These results suggest that there are differences in the breadth, depth, and value of the professional networks of male and female board members and that these differences could be a contributing channel through which women’s underrepresentation on boards prevails.

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  • Ann L. Owen & Judit Temesvary & Andrew Wei, 2021. "Gender and Professional Networks on Bank Boards," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2021-021r1, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.), revised 23 Aug 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2021-21
    DOI: 10.17016/FEDS.2021.021r1
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    bank boards; professional networks; gender; gender diversity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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