Susan Vinnicombe

Susan has consulted for organisations in over twenty countries including the USA, Ireland, India, the UAE, Philippines, Trinidad, Nigeria, Australia and New Zealand, on how best to attract, retain and develop women executives. Susan is regularly interviewed by the press, on the radio and on television for her expert views on women directors and is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences.

Susan is the Founder and Chair of the judges for Women in the City Awards and is a judge for the Sunday Times best NEDs of the year awards. She is Vice Patron of the charity, Working Families. Susan was a member of the Davies Steering Committee from 2010 – 2015 and has been invited onto the Advisory Board of Sir Philip Hampton/Dame Helen Alexander’s Review on the lack of women in the executive pipeline.

Susan was elected to Fellow of the British Academy of Management in 2013. She has been honoured by The International Alliance of Women (TIAW) in 2013 when she was awarded the TIAW World of Difference 100 Award 2013, which recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to the economic empowerment of women. In 2016 she was made a Companion of the Chartered Institute of Management and honoured by the International Women’s Forum (IWF) Washington as a women who has “made a difference’ in the world.

Susan was awarded an OBE for her Services to Diversity in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2005 and subsequently awarded a CBE for her Services to Gender Equality in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, 2014.

Current activities

Susan's research interests focus on the lack of women in leadership, specifically on corporate boards; women's leadership styles and the issues involved in women developing their executive careers. Susan was Founder Director of the Cranfield International Centre for Women Leaders from 1999 to 2016. She and her co-authors produce the annual Female FTSE Board Report, which she launched in 1999 and is regarded as the premier research resource on women directors in the UK and is renowned globally.

Susan has written ten books and over one hundred articles, reports and conference papers. Her latest book “Handbook of Research on Promoting Women’s Careers” (Eds. S Vinnicombe, R.J. Burke, S. Blake-Beard and L.L. Moore) was published by Edward Elgar in 2013.

Articles In Journals

• Turnbull James K, Vinnicombe S & Harris H (2018) Moving on up-a gender perspective on practical inclusive talent management for senior roles, Developing Leaders (August).
• Turnbull-James K, Vinnicombe S & Harris H. (2018) Moving on Up, Developing Leaders, August 2018.
• Vinnicombe S & Anderson D (2017) Expanding the notion of dialogic trading zones for impactful research: the case of women on boards research, British Journal of Management, 28 (1) 64-83.
• Atewologun D, Sealy R & Vinnicombe S (2016) Revealing Intersectional Dynamics in Organizations: Introducing 'Intersectional Identity Work', Gender, Work and Organization, 23 (3) 223-247.
• Doldor E, Sealy R & Vinnicombe S (2016) Accidental activists: headhunters as marginal diversity actors in institutional change towards more women on boards, Human Resource Management Journal, 26 (3) 285-303.
• Jonsdottir t, Singh V, Terjesen S & Vinnicombe S (2015) Director identity in pre- and post-crisis Iceland: effects of board life stage and gender, Gender in Management: An International Journal, 30 (7) 572-594.
• Vinnicombe S (2013) Lean in, but keep your balance, Management Focus, 35 (Autumn) 24-25.
• Doldor E, Doldor E, Anderson D & Vinnicombe S (2013) Refining the Concept of Political Will: A Gender Perspective, British Journal of Management, 24 (3) 414-427.
• Chen A, Doherty N & Vinnicombe S (2012) Developing women's career competencies through an EMBA, Gender in Management: An International Journal, 27 (4) 232-248.
• Chen A, Doherty N & Vinnicombe S (2012) The perceived value of networking through an EMBA: a study of Taiwanese women, Career Development International, 17 (7) 646-662.
• Anderson D, Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2010) Women partners leaving the firm: Choice, what choice?, Gender in Management: An International Journal, 25 (3) 170-183.
• Kumra S & Vinnicombe S (2010) Impressing for success: A gendered analysis of a key social capital accumulation strategy, Gender, Work and Organization, 17 (5) 521-546.
• Sealy R & Vinnicombe S (2010) Boardroom Balance, Management Focus (28) 24-25.
• Kumra S & Vinnicombe S (2008) A study of the promotion to partner process in a professional services firm: How women are disadvantaged, British Journal of Management, 19 (S1) 65-74.
• Singh V, Terjesen S & Vinnicombe S (2008) Newly appointed directors in the boardroom: How do women and men differ?, European Management Journal, 26 (1) 48-58.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Turnbull James K (2006) Constructing a professional identity: how young female managers use role models., Women In Management Review, 21 (1) 67-81.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Kumra S (2006) Women in formal corporate networks: an organisational citizenship perspective., Women In Management Review, 21 (6) 458-482.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2005) Creating momentum, Public Service Review (Feb).
• Wilson S, Butler M, James K, Partington D, Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2004) The fallacy of integration: work and non-work in professional services, Women In Management Review, 19 (4) 186-195.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2004) Opening the invisible door to the boardroom, MBA Business (Autumn 2004).
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2004) Why So Few Women Directors in Top UK Boardrooms? Evidence and Theoretical Explanations, Corporate Governance: An International Review, 12 (4) 479-488.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2003) The 2002 female FTSE Index and women directors, Women In Management Review, 18 (7) 349-358.
• Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2003) Locks and keys to the boardroom, Women In Management Review, 18 (6) 325-333.
• Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2003) Women-only Management Training: An Essential Part of Women's Leadership Development?, Journal of Change Management, 3 (4) 294-306.
• Singh V, Kumra S & Vinnicombe S (2002) Gender and Impression Management: Playing the Promotion Game, Journal of Business Ethics, 37 (1) 77-89.
• Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2002) Sex Role Stereotyping and Requisites of Successful Top Managers, Women In Management Review, 17 (3/4) 120-130.
• Singh V, Bains D & Vinnicombe S (2002) Informal mentoring as an organisational resource, Long Range Planning, 35 (4) 389-405.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2002) Gender and Ethnic Diversity on Top Corporate Boards, Apollo.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2001) Keys to the Boardroom, Inclusion Magazine (Spring 2001).
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2001) Impression Management, Commitment and Gender: Managing Others' Good Opinions, European Management Journal, 19 (2) 183-194.
• Vinnicombe S, Singh V & Cames I (2001) Profiles of 'Successful Managers' held by Male and Female Banking Managers across Europe, Women In Management Review, 16 (3) 108-117.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Johnson P (2001) Women Directors on Top UK Boards, Corporate Governance: An International Review, 9 (3) 206-216.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2000) What does Commitment Really Mean? Views of British and Swedish Engineering Managers, Personnel Review, 29 (2) 228-254.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2000) Gendered Meanings of Commitment from High Technology Engineering Managers in the UK and Sweden, Gender, Work and Organization, 7 (1) 1-19.
• Sahdev K, Vinnicombe S & Tyson S (1999) Downsizing and the Changing Role of HR, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 10 (5) 906-923.
• Vinnicombe S & Cames I (1998) A Study of the Leadership Styles of Female and Male Managers in 10 Different Nationality Banks in Luxembourg, Using the Personal Attributes Questionnaire, International Review of Women and Leadership, 4 (2) 24-33.
• Vinnicombe S (1997) Women in Management - The Business Case, Independent Today, 2 (1) 25-27.
• Doherty N, Bank J & Vinnicombe S (1996) Managing Survivors: The Experience of Survivors in BT and the British Financial Sector, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 11 (7) 51-60.

Conference Papers

• Singh V, Jonsdottir T & Vinnicombe S (2013) Directors' role identities in pre and post crisis Iceland: Board life cycle stage and gender. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2013, Orlando, FL, 9 August 2013.
• Anderson D, Sealy R & Vinnicombe S (2010) Diversity of Governing Bodies of Higher Education Institutions: Positive attitudes, negative practices?. In: Gender Work & Organization Conference, Keele, 24 June 2010.
• Doldor, E, Sealy R & Vinnicombe S (2010) Increasing gender diversity on public and private boards: obstacles and initiatives.. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, 2010, Montreal, 6-10 August 2010.
• Vinnicombe S & Anderson D (2009) Personal reflections on the evolution of women's leadership programmes. In: 2009 Academy of Management annual meeting: green management matters, Chicago, IL, 7 August 2009.
• Chen A & Vinnicombe S (2008) Preparing for leadership in Taiwan: Identifying career benefits which women have gained from taking an MBA in mid-career. In: Gender, Work & Organisation Conference.
• Sealy R, Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2008) FTSE 350 Female directors and women in the executive committees. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, 2008, Anaheim, 8 August 2008.
• Herzfelt R, Chrobot-Mason D, Gentry B, Khapova S, Korotov K, Lasher A, Ruderman M, Sealy R, Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2008) Understanding career development of European women in Russia, Spain, UK and the Netherlands. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, 2008, Anaheim, 8 August 2008.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2007) An exploratory study of executive committee demography in top companies: Another gendered layer revealed. In: Gender, Work & Organisation Conference, Keele.
• Anderson D, Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2007) Up and out: the exit of women partners from a global consultancy firm. In: Conference proceedings 2007 : British Academy of Management : management research, education and business success : is the future as clear as the past?, Warwick, 11 September 2007.
• Nelson D, Jaina J & Vinnicombe S (2007) How do elected leaders and chief executives in UK local authorities construe the top job? Implications for future appointments. In: Conference proceedings 2007 : British Academy of Management : management research, education and business success : is the future as clear as the past?, Warwick, 11 September 2007.
• Anderson D, Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2007) Women above the glass ceiling: Exploring why women partners leave. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Philadelphia.
• Singh V, Anderson D & Vinnicombe S (2006) Stepping out from gendered cultures: Fond farewells from successful women. In: British Academy of Management Conference, Belfast.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2006) Women on boards of directors: United Kingdom stakeholder collaboration strategies. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Atlanta.
• Vinnicombe S, Freeman C & Terjesen S (2006) Attracting new graduates: Gender differences in importance of organisational attributes. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Atlanta.
• Chen A & Vinnicombe S (2006) Preparing for leadership: Career benefits which women managers have acquired from doing an MBA in mid-career. In: Studying Leadership Conference, Cranfield.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Kumra S (2006) Women above the glass ceiling: Voice through womens corporate networks. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Atlanta.
• Vinnicombe S, Singh V & Anderson D (2006) Exploring why women partners leave. In: Gender and Career Advancement Small Group Meeting, Netherlands.
• Anderson D, Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2006) Women above the glass ceiling: Exit. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Atlanta.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2005) Corporate governance and gender diversity on top UK boards. In: EURAM Conference, Rome, 19 May 2010.
• Chen A & Vinnicombe S (2005) A comparative study of the motivation to complete an MBA and career benefits to female MBAs in the UK and Taiwan. In: British Academy of Management Annual Conference, 2005, Oxford, 13-15 September 2005.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2005) Continuity and change within top UK boardrooms: From homogeneity to gender diversity. In: EGOS 21st Colloquium, Berlin.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Kumra S (2005) Women making good connections through corporate networks - an exploratory study. In: British Academy of Management Conference, Oxford.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Terjesen S (2005) Human capital and gender diversity in FTSE 100 board appointments. In: Gender, Work & Organisation Conference, Keele.
• Chen A & Vinnicombe S (2005) A cross-cultural study of female MBAs in the UK and Taiwan: What are the career benefits?. In: Gender, Work & Organisation Conference, Keele.
• Vinnicombe S (2004) The lack of women directors on top corporate boards in the UK. In: Women in Leadership Conference, Dubai.
• Collins J, Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2004) Examining socially constructed leadership. In: British Academy of Management Conference, St Andrews.
• Vinnicombe S (2004) Women directors in the top 100 companies in the UK. In: Senior Women Executives and the Cultures of Management Conference, Sydney.
• Collins J, Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2003) The rhetoric, discourse and meanings of leadership of public sector organisations in post-devolution Scotland. In: British Academy of Management Conference, Harrogate.
• Wilson SP, Butler M, James K, Partington D, Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2003) The fallacy of integration: building boundaries between work and non-work within professional services. In: British Academy of Management Conference, Harrogate.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2003) Constructing a personal identity: How young female managers use role models. In: Gender, Work & Organization Conference, Keele.
• Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2003) Gender differences in managers' beliefs about prerequisite characteristics for leadership. In: 11th European Congress on Work & Organisational Psychology (EAWOP), Lisbon.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2003) Women directors in the UK: empirical trends and theoretical connections. In: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, 2003, Seattle, WA, 1 August 2003.
• Collins J, Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2003) The leadership language in Scottish public service organisations. In: Critical Leadership Conference, Lancaster.
• Abdul-Ghani R, Harris H & Vinnicombe S (2003) The influence of work-life balance on cross-cultural adjustment of international postgraduate students with family in the UK. In: British Academy of Management Annual Conference, 2003, University of Leeds, Harrogate, 15-17 September 2003.
• Singh V, Schiuma G & Vinnicombe S (2002) Assessing Diversity Management. In: PMA 2002 Conference, Boston.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2002) Elites and Diversity: Women Directors in Top UK Companies. In: EGOS 18th Colloquium, Barcelona.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Cames I (2002) Women and Gendered Leadership Images. In: International Workshop on Crossing Issues of Gender & Management in Organizations (EIASM), Brussels.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2002) Women Directors: Swimming, Sinking or not even in the Pool?. In: Gender Research Forum, London.
• Freeman C & Vinnicombe S (2002) Recruiting for gender diversity: exploring the relationship between organisational attractiveness and application intentions. In: Career Evolution Conference, London.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2002) The 2002 Female FTSE Report: Women Directors moving Forward. In: Women's Leadership Summit, London.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2002) Top Companies without Women Directors: A Persistent and International Phenomenon. In: Gender Research Forum, London.
• Singh V, Bains D & Vinnicombe S (2001) Informal Mentoring: Perceived Benefits to the Organisation. In: Gender, Work & Organisation Conference, Keele.
• Vinnicombe S, Singh V & Cames I (2001) Profiles of 'successful managers' held by male and female banking managers across Europe. In: Women in the Workplace: International and Cultural Prespectives Conference, Oxford.
• Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2000) Taking Stock: The Making of Women Managers. In: IFSAM Conference, Montreal.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2000) Managing the promotion of high commitment through impression management strategies: A study of male and female managers. In: EGOS 16th Colloquium, Helsinki.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2000) Gender and Impression Management Strategies: Managing the Good Impressions held by Others for Career Success. In: British Academy of Management Conference, Edinburgh.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (1999) If you've got it, flaunt it! Is Visibility through Impression Management the Key to Unlock Negative Perceptions of Women Managers' Commitment?. In: 8th International Conference on Women and Leadership, Perth.
• Vinnicombe S & Sturges J (1998) Personal Definitions of Career Success for Male and Female Managers. In: Gender, Work & Organisation Conference, Manchester, 9 January 1998.
• Vinnicombe S (1998) Women in Management. In: British Council Symposium and Workshops on Women in Management, Seoul.
• Vinnicombe S & Sahdev K (1998) Downsizing and its Impact on the HR Function. In: EGOS 14th Colloquium, Maastricht.
• Vinnicombe S (1998) Constructing an Agenda for Women in Management. In: Lancaster Conference, Lancaster.
• Vinnicombe S (1998) Issues Facing Women in Management and Winning Strategies for Overcoming Them. In: Women's International Networking Conference, Milan.
• Vinnicombe S (1998) Networking in the Fire Service. In: NWFS 2nd National Conference Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue.
• Vinnicombe S & Cames I (1998) A Study of the Leadership Styles of Female and Male Bank Managers in 10 Different Nationality Banks in Luxembourg using the Personal Questionnaire. In: 7th International Women in Leadership Conference, Perth.
• Vinnicombe S & Sahdev S (1997) A Study of the Survivor Syndrome. In: EGOS 13th Colloquium, Budapest.
• Vinnicombe S & Lucas D (1997) The Impact of Women's Only Training on the Development of Women Managers. In: Gender and Education International Conference, Warwick.
• Vinnicombe S (1996) The Style for the Next Century. In: Women in Management Conference, London.

Books

• Anderson DA & Vinnicombe S (2015) Senior women, work-life balance and the decision to quit: a generational perspective. In: Handbook Of Gendered Careers In Management: Getting In, Getting On, Getting Out, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, p. 445-459.
• Vinnicombe S, Moore LL & Anderson D (2013) Women's leadership programmes are still important. In: Handbook of Research on Promoting Women's Careers. Vinnicombe S, Burke RJ, Blake-Beard S, Moore LL (ed.), Edward Elgar, p. 406-419.
• (2013) Handbook of Research on Promoting Women's Careers.
• Sealy R & Vinnicombe S (2013) Women on boards in the UK: accelerating the pace of change?. In: Getting Women on to Corporate Boards: A Snowball Starting in Norway. Machold S, Huse M, Hansen K, Brogi M (ed.), Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, p. 191-200.
• Sealy R & Vinnicombe S (2012) Women and the governance of corporate boards. In: The SAGE handbook of corporate goverance. Clarke T, Branson D (ed.), Sydney: SAGE, p. 325-344.
• Sealy R & Vinnicombe S (2010) Women on top corporate boards: The slow progress and initiatives that provide change. In: Leadership through the gender lens: Women and men in organisations. Husu L, Hearn J, Lamsa A, Vanhala S (ed.), Helsinki, Finland: Hanken School of Economics.
• Anderson D, Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2008) Women becoming leaders. In: Leadership Learning: Knowledge into Action. Turnbull James K, Collins J (ed.), Palgrave.
• Vinnicombe S, Singh V, Burke RJ, Bidlimoria D, Huse M (eds), (2008) Women on Corporate Boards of Directors: International Research and Practice, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
• Anderson D, Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2008) Women only leadership development: A conundrum. In: Leadership Learning: Knowledge into Action. Turnbull James K, Collins J (ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, p. 147-160.
• Sealy R, Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2008) The pipeline to the board finally opens: Women's progress on FTSE 100 boards in the UK. In: Women on corporate boards of directors. Vinnicombe Susan, Singh Val, Burke Ron, Bilimoria Diana, Huse Morten (ed.), Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, p. 37-46.
• Singh V, Terjesen S & Vinnicombe S (2007) Women advancing onto corporate boards. In: Handbook On Women In Business And Management. Bilimoria D, Piderit S (ed.), Edward Elgar.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Terjesen S (2006) Women advancing onto corporate boards. In: Handbook of Women's Careers. Piderit S, Bilimoria D (ed.), Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
• Singh V & Vinnicombe S (2006) Opening the boardroom doors: FTSE 100 companies and women directors. In: Women in Leadership and Management: A European Perspective. McTavish D, Miller K (ed.), Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
• Singh V, Vinnicombe S & Terjesen S (2006) Gender and corporate boards. In: Handbook of Gender and Management. Bilimoria D, Piderit S (ed.), Edward Elgar.
• Kakabadse A, Vinnicombe S & Bank J (2004) Working in Organisations II. Gower Penguin, ed. 2nd edition.
• Vinnicombe S & Bank J (2003) Women with attitude. London: Routledge.
• Vinnicombe S & Singh V (2002) Developing tomorrow's women business leaders. In: Advancing Women in Corporate Management. Burke R, Meyerson D (ed.), London: Blackwells.
• James K & Vinnicombe S (2002) Acknowledging the Individual in the Researcher. In: Essential Skills for Management Research. Partington D (ed.), London: Sage Publications, p. 84-98.
• Bank J, Vinnicombe S & Sahdev K (2001) Creating a Resilient Workforce: the Upside to Downsizing. FT Prentice Hall.
• James K & Vinnicombe S (2001) Acknowledging the individual in the researcher. In: Essential Skills for Management Research. Partington D (ed.), London: Sage, p. 84-98.
• Vinnicombe S, Singh V & Sturges J (2000) Making it to the Top in Britain. In: Women on Corporate Boards of Directors: International Challenges and Opportunities. Burke R, Mattis M (ed.), Dordrecht: Kluwer.
• Vinnicombe S (2000) The Position of Women in Management in Europe. In: Women in Management: Current Research Issues Volume II. Davidson M, Burke R (ed.), Sage, p. 9-25.