Why only a woman will do: the search for a future leader

There is a complicated line to walk when it comes to diversity. Everyone is well aware of the benefits of having a diverse workforce and of the clear financial benefits of having a woman on your board. But purposely setting out to hire a woman – and only a woman – is dangerously close to positive discrimination. Or is it? Tyler Goodwin, founder and chief executive of Seaforth Land, doesn’t think there is anything discriminatory about it. He knows that it may not be overly PC to focus his search for a senior executive within the business purely on the female gender, but he also knows it is the best thing for his business. Seaforth Land, which invests in London property on behalf of clients, is distinctly male. A scroll down its “About Us” page on its website reveals a board made up entirely of men and a gallery of its management team where only one face is female. Goodwin knows that is just not right. And in April next year, he will reveal a new non-executive director for the business, a powerful woman who he believes will be able to help guide the board. Mishcon de Reya’s Susan Freeman is also an adviser to the board. It is a start, but neither of those women have the opportunity to lead the company from within, to take over from Goodwin one day. He says the seniority of the two positions he is recruiting for – a chief operating officer-style role and a senior investment committee member – is important. “Hiring somebody who is a partner with me sends a message in terms of hiring the next woman,” he says, “so they can see that there’s really no glass ceiling.” As a three-year-old company with £300m of assets under management, Goodwin has his sights set on growing the business to £1bn of equity under management in the next five years and turning it into a legacy firm, a company that lives on once he is out of the game. To do that, he says, Seaforth cannot have a testosterone-fuelled investment committee. “It’s easy to stereotype and I don’t want to say that a woman doesn’t get caught up in the competitive dynamic because it is exhilarating working on a transaction,” says Goodwin. “But I do believe that at the investment community level it brings in a different perspective and more balance.” He adds: “I’m looking for somebody to come on board as a senior member of the team, who can one day run this business. I’m looking for somebody who one day wants to take equity in the business, who wants to grow into a role where they’re going to take Seaforth Land to the next level.” But finding that person, especially if you want them to be female, is no easy task. At a senior level, the pool in which to fish for women is smaller. At a junior level there is more parity. And, 21st century or not, if that woman has a family, she will most likely take the lion’s share of the parental duties. Goodwin is well aware that for every 10 men who apply for the role, he will likely see just four women, but he won’t be swayed from his goal of finding the right woman for the job. “It is really important for the long-term profitability, the long-term balance, the long-term culture and for us to achieve our goal of being a legacy business, that we’ve got a senior woman on the management team,” says Goodwin. “There are lots of great, talented men out there and we’ve got a bunch of talented men already. But I think what our organisation needs to achieve our goals is a woman. “There are a lot of talented men out there at a senior level, some of whom I’ve looked at and interviewed and I would love them to be part of our team, one day. But I think right now, to get Seaforth to the next level, we’re going to need a senior woman.” To send feedback, e-mail samantha.mcclary@egi.co.uk or tweet @samanthamcclary or @estatesgazette