Deerfield Management and Oxeon Unlock the Power of Women in the Boardroom

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Feb 02, 2016, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Deerfield Management and Oxeon Holdings have joined forces to expand their leadership roles in supporting innovative programs and practices to foster improved diversity in the workplace. On February 2, over 30 female senior healthcare executives with interest in corporate governance will receive training and guidance designed to help them obtain their first boardroom role.

A growing body of academic literature suggests that gender-based heterogeneity in the boardroom is associated with improved ROE and ROI metrics, more effective risk mitigation strategies, enhanced decision making processes, and more diverse management teams, which are in turn associated with lower employee turnover and improved financial performance. Despite these increasingly well characterized benefits, less than 20% of Fortune 1000 board seats are held by women.

"There is a clear disparity between the number of qualified women willing and able to fill corporate board positions and the number of positions actually held by women. As such, we are excited to work with Oxeon to cultivate a new generation of female directors. Not only will the women excel at these positions, but the companies and organizations they serve will benefit from the perspectives, thought processes and problem solving approaches brought by female leaders," stated Leslie Henshaw, Partner at Deerfield Management.

"Creating a program to educate women on the intricacies of boardroom dynamics is an important initiative we are excited to partner with Deerfield on. Oxeon's leading position as a healthcare growth services firm creates an opportunity for us to help change the current face of American boardrooms," said Mia Jung, Senior Principal from Oxeon.

The program will consist of four educational sessions including content designed to support both finding and fulfilling board roles. The speaker line-up is made up of an impressive array of female role models, including Sally Susman, EVP of Corporate Affairs at Pfizer; Esther Dyson, Founder and Chairwoman at HICCup; Catherine Bromilow, Partner for PwC's Center for Board Governance; and Annie Lamont, Partner at Oak HC/FT. Additionally, participants will be paired with a group of experienced mentors who have generously agreed to lend their time and perspective. Over time, Deerfield and Oxeon hope that many of the participants can become candidates for board opportunities emerging from their respective portfolio companies, allowing for practical application of lessons derived from the Women in the Boardroom series.

About Oxeon

Oxeon Holdings is a healthcare growth services firm and is the parent company of Oxeon Partners, an invested executive search firm, Oxeon Investments Funds I & II, and Cien Ventures, an internal venture studio. Oxeon seeks to connect its healthcare company partners with the fundamental drivers of business growth—great people, transformational business partnerships, strategic investments, and next generation business ideas, as well as various advisory and other growth-related services.

For more information, please visit www.oxeonpartners.com.

About Deerfield

Deerfield is an investment management firm committed to advancing healthcare through investment, information and philanthropy.

For more information, please visit www.deerfield.com.

Contacts

Deerfield Management Company
Karen Heidelberger, 212-692-7140
[email protected]

Oxeon Holdings
Mia Jung
[email protected]

SOURCE Deerfield Management