With decades of global leadership experience in Europe, the USA and Asia, Sylvia Smetana joins us to talk about what it really takes to change who sits at the table.

Originally from Austria, Sylvia is the founder of Divershefy Inc. and Divershefy Club – platforms designed to expand women’s access to board-level roles while advising organisations on board composition, leadership readiness and international expansion. Her work sits at the intersection of governance and growth – helping organisations think more deliberately about who leads, how they get there, and why it matters.

We explore why board careers must be planned years in advance, why networking is deliberate rather than incidental, and why organisations that are serious about change must act in two timeframes: signalling intent now through intentional appointments, while building a realistic internal pipeline for the future.
Through her advisory work, Sylvia supports European companies entering the Indian market, and she highlights how governance, local expertise and board composition become strategic levers – not just symbolic gestures.

Her message is clear: every hiring decision sends a signal. Boards either demonstrate intent through action – or they signal that nothing is really changing.
This is not a surface-level conversation about diversity. It’s a practical look at how boards are actually built.