Loading organizations...
Key people at theBoardlist.
theBoardlist was founded in 2015 by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (Founder & Chairman).
theBoardlist operates as a curated online talent marketplace designed to connect exceptional diverse leaders with global board and executive opportunities. The platform serves as a vital bridge, matching companies seeking qualified board members with a pre-vetted network of diverse candidates. Through its unique approach, theBoardlist addresses the critical need for increased representation and diversity within corporate leadership, facilitating strategic placements that enhance organizational governance and performance.
The company was founded in 2015 by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, who recognized a significant imbalance in corporate boardrooms and a prevailing difficulty for companies to access diverse, qualified talent. Her insight stemmed from the understanding that a vast pool of accomplished women and diverse leaders existed, yet lacked systematic avenues to board positions, while companies struggled to find them through traditional networks. This led to the creation of a peer-endorsed system to surface suitable candidates effectively.
theBoardlist primarily serves CEOs and nominating committees looking to strengthen their boards, as well as a community of highly qualified diverse professionals aspiring to leadership roles. Its overarching vision is to foster more inclusive and effective leadership worldwide by ensuring that boards reflect the diversity of the markets they serve. The platform aims to be the premier resource for identifying and placing diverse talent, ultimately shaping the future of global corporate governance.
Key people at theBoardlist.
theBoardlist is a mission-driven benefit corporation and online talent marketplace that connects CEOs and companies with peer-endorsed, diverse leaders—primarily women and underrepresented talent—for board and executive roles. Founded to address the stark underrepresentation of women on tech boards (where 75-78% of private tech companies had none), it has evolved into a global platform serving over 2,500 companies, from startups to Fortune 100 firms, with a network of 40,000+ members, including 22,000+ executives open to opportunities.[1][2][3][6][7] Its core impact lies in accelerating board diversity through trusted recommendations, driving better governance, representation, and outcomes for customers, employees, and communities, while influencing the startup ecosystem by normalizing diverse leadership from Series B stages onward.[1][3][5]
theBoardlist was founded on July 15, 2015, by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, a seasoned technology executive and entrepreneur with experience at Google, Yahoo, and other major firms, headquartered in Atherton, California.[1][3] Cassidy launched it as the first initiative of her #ChoosePossibility Project after researching board diversity gaps and publishing an open letter that garnered strong tech community support; she crowdsourced endorsements from 50 investors and CEOs at firms like Accel, Greylock, Twitter, Lyft, and Box, starting with over 600 qualified women.[1][5] Early traction was swift: by October 2015, it facilitated its first board placement, and within two years, nearly 500 companies had searched the platform, with 3,000 nominations collected.[1][5] In August 2023, BoardProspects acquired theBoardlist, merging communities to expand to 48,000 members and enhance offerings like training and recruitment.[6]
theBoardlist rides the wave of board diversity mandates and ESG pressures, amplified by regulations like Nasdaq's requirements and investor demands for representative leadership, which research links to superior governance and shareholder value.[3][6][7] Its timing capitalized on 2015's post-#MeToo-like awakening in Silicon Valley, where homogenous boards stifled innovation; by digitizing discovery, it counters "old-school" search firms (300 searches/year) with accelerated access for startups to globals.[1][5][9] Market forces like talent shortages for diverse directors and remote/global scaling favor its model, influencing the ecosystem by placing underrepresented leaders early (e.g., Series B), fostering cultural shifts toward inclusive decision-making, and partnering with affinity groups to pipeline talent.[1][3][6]
With its 2023 merger into BoardProspects, theBoardlist is poised to scale further, integrating AI-enhanced matching, expanded training, and global recruitment to hit new milestones in diverse placements amid rising DEI scrutiny.[6] Trends like mandatory diversity disclosures, AI governance needs, and hybrid boards will propel demand, evolving its influence from tech pioneer to universal leadership enabler—potentially transforming boardrooms worldwide as it did Silicon Valley's culture overnight.[1][3] This positions it to sustain momentum in building representative leadership that drives resilient, innovative companies.
theBoardlist was founded in 2015 by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (Founder & Chairman).
