A Woman's Place is in the Boardroom was the first step on a journey. This book is the second. In the three years since the first book was published, the authors have become even more convinced that the general problem, the absence of women from top strategic decision-making bodies, is among the most important problems of our time. They suggested, in the Preface to the earlier book, that 'the problems that face our world are so complex and difficult that we will need all the talent available to solve them'. There can be no doubt that some progress has been made, in terms of women gaining access to strategic decision-making bodies, but nor can there be much doubt that the complexity and difficulty of the global issues and problems that they and their fellow board members face have also increased. Thanks to their continued involvement in the FTSE 100 Cross-Company Mentoring Programme, the authors have learned a great deal since the first publication and developed some new ideas, including a useful matrix of the essential elements involved in women becoming successful candidates for board level positions. Contained in this book is the extended 'how to' derived from what they've learned - the 'Roadmap'. It sets out the route that women executives who want to improve their chances of being appointed to boards should follow, and identifies the signs to note along the way. The book will also be useful to companies wishing to appoint more female directors. More women on the boards of our large companies isn't going to solve global problems at a stroke, but it will contribute to their solution, by increasing the reservoirs of human ingenuity, imagination, insight and will available to address them. In the final analysis, the authors think, it's what you do with power and influence that matters.