Alliance Trust keeps women at the top

Katherine Garrett-Cox's Alliance Trust will continue its recent history of female board members when Karin Forseke replaces Lesley Knox as its chairman in April.

Knox joined the board in 2001 and has been chairman since 2004. Former company secretary Sheila Ruckley was a high-profile board member between 2000 and 2006.

Forseke will join the board on 2 March and become chairman on 2 April when Knox steps down. She is currently deputy chairman of the Financial Services Authority and was formerly chief operating officer at the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange. She has previously been director of two listed companies, D Carnegie and Eniro.

Dundee-based Alliance Trust, the world's biggest investment trust with £2.9 billion under management, has been led by the redoubtable Garrett-Cox since 2008.

Board diversity has become a key issue for listed firms. Last February former minister Lord Davies called on FTSE 350 companies to improve gender diversity at board level. He demanded firms aim for a minimum of 25% females on boards by 2015.

Alliance Trust said it has no positive discrimination policy, simply appointing "the right person for the job".