Danielle Favreau (BComm'01) is the chief financial officer (CFO) and interim CEO of Karnalyte Resources, a junior mining company based in Saskatchewan. (Don Somers/CBC)

Few businesses on the TSX have women leading them: Sask.'s Danielle Favreau is one

Sample of 641 businesses on TSX shows about only 4% of them are led by women. Danielle Favreau (BComm'01) is one of them.

By Alex Soloducha | CBC News

Women are still disproportionately under-represented in the boardrooms of Canadian businesses but more companies are moving toward greater gender parity, says one of the few female CEOs overseeing a company today, as reported by the CBC.

The securities regulatory authorities in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan looked at 641 public companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange that are required to disclose information in public company financial reports. 

The agencies found that only four per cent of the chief executive officers (CEOs) and five per cent of board chairs were women — Danielle Favreau (BComm'01) is one of them. 

"It's challenging but also rewarding and fulfilling," Favreau, the chief financial officer and interim CEO of Karnalyte Resources, said. "There's always something new to deal with."

Karnalye Resources is a Sask.-based mining company and is one of the few businesses with a woman at the top.

Favreau obtained her bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan is also a chartered professional accountant, a designation received from CPA Saskatchewan.

Favreau said she had hoped the numbers would be better than they are but that she has still had a positive experience in her career.

"I've encountered a lot of both male and female leaders who've been very supportive and have mentored me along the way," she said.

She said women in senior positions should be mentoring other women to move forward in the future.

"Generally speaking, women and men come to the table with different styles of working and different perspectives," she said.

"I think all those perspectives and styles together help make the best decisions for a corporation or an organization."

Read more at https://www.cbc.ca/news/.