Why Some Women Get Tapped on the Shoulder and Others Don't
Many capable women do great work and still find the next senior role or board seat never quite comes their way. Often it's because those opportunities take shape long before a role is advertised: a name gets mentioned, a conversation is remembered, and a shortlist forms before anything goes public.
In our first Ellect Leadership & Board Pathways online session, we're looking at how that actually happens.
Our speaker
Christopher Russell is Partner, Financial Services at The Insight Group, where he helps organisations find their senior leaders. Before moving into executive search, he had a long career across the US Army, GE, and banking and consulting roles in New York, Paris, London, Hong Kong and Sydney, including GE Capital, HSBC, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the Commonwealth Bank and Genpact.
Christopher will share how people really get considered for senior leadership and board roles, and why visibility, relationships, reputation and sponsorship matter so much. He'll also talk about what you can practically do so you're known by the right people for the right things when opportunities come up.
What you'll take away
How senior and board opportunities surface before they're advertised
What decision-makers and search firms look for, and who they listen to
Practical steps to make sure your name comes up in the right conversations
New connections with women from other organisations and industries
How the session runs
Christopher's talk runs for about 30 minutes, including time for questions. We'll then move into peer networking and mentoring, where you'll connect with women from other organisations and industries. The session is hosted by Ellect Founder & CEO Sandra D'Souza. Please come with your camera on, as the session works best when everyone can see each other.
When & how to join
Wednesday 21 October 2026, 6:00–8:00pm Sydney time (AEDT). The session runs for 2 hours, online via Zoom. Once your registration is approved, you'll receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link. Please join 5 minutes early with your camera on.
Who it's for
Women already in senior roles, getting ready for their next step, or starting to think seriously about boards.
About the Leadership & Board Pathways sessions
These are monthly online sessions, each focused on a different part of moving into senior leadership and board roles. Our next session is Are You More Ready Than You Think? on Wednesday, 18 November 2026.