Tanya Cox: Building a portfolio career - how one board can lead to another, even when you don’t expect it.

Women on Boards: Leader, directors & subject matter experts in conversation with Claire Braund

Tanya Cox has built an impressive board portfolio, which started through Women on Boards in 2001, where she says she did all of the obvious things, like looking on the Vacancy board.

The trend of one board leading to another started with her inaugural board appointment to Disability Sport Australia, which led to Wheelchair Sports Australia and then to joining the Australian Paralympic Committee, which she says provided great experience, friendships and connections.

Initially unsure what she could add to sporting boards, she found that her business expertise worked in unison with the sporting backgrounds most board members had, and really balanced out the skills’ matrix. She stresses that you should never under estimate how much business experience you have and how valuable it can be to a board.

Tanya is now a now a Non-Executive Director (NED) of the Green Building Council of Australia, which is comprised of the CEOs of leading property CEOs. Continuing her trend, this led her to becoming Chair of the World Building Council, which comprises 14 board members and 70 countries, which has presented both great challenges and high levels of personal fulfillment.

Tanya says her career experience led her to areas that she didn’t expect, like becoming a NED for Equiem, who provides IT services to the property industry for which she served at Dexus.

Tanya says that the most important thing is to get started…..find a Not for Profit Board and look at what you have to offer. No two boards are the same. It takes a lot more than one to call yourself a NED, so get experience across different boards. And remember boards provide connections. One thing can lead to another, even when you don’t expect it.

Now sitting on six boards, Tanya is at her capacity, but says she has never been happier despite the midnight Zooms. Like any true success, Tanya is modest, understated and a true inspiration.

LinkedIn Tanya Cox | Claire Braund (host)

Further Information about Women on Boards (WOB)

For further information about WOB membership, events & services, please visit our website.

To receive our weekly newsletter, subscribe to WOB as a Basic Member (free).

Join as a Full Member for full access to our Board Vacancies, WOBShare (our online member platform) and more.