A six-member gender diversity task force now has an advisory panel comprising five business leaders from the private sector. The secretariat to the Diversity Task Force (DTF) announced this in a media release on Thursday.

The DTF was formed to address gender diversity issues at the workplace in response to concerns of female under-representation in top corporate positions. It was initiated by Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob last year, when she was Minister of State for the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

The advisory panel is chaired by Mr J. Y. Pillay, chairman of Tiger Airways Holdings and chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers. The other members on the panel are: Singapore Exchange chief executive Magnus Bocker, SingTel group chief executive Chua Sock Koong, Singapore International Foundation chairman Euleen Goh, and Hyflux chief executive Olivia Lum.

Mrs Mildred Tan, chairman of the task force and managing director at Ernst & Young Advisory, said: "The DTF is extremely encouraged to have with us the advisory panel of illustrious business leaders who are passionate and dedicated to supporting the push for greater gender diversity on boards."