Jane Jie Sun

Oxford Saïd announces new research fellowship on women’s transformational leadership

Published

Oxford Saïd established a new research fellowship to support more women on their journey to the top.

A new fellowship position at Saïd Business School will focus on female leadership, exploring how women reach the top of organisations and their leadership practices once they achieve positions of power.

The research project will also look at interventions that can accelerate women’s careers. As well as research, the fellow will support lectures and other teaching at the School.

The fellowship has been made possible by Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, Ms Sun is the only female CEO in China’s online travel industry and one of a very small number of female CEOs in the Chinese technology industry.

Dr. Joana Probert has been elected as the first Jane Jie Sun Career Development Fellow, and will commence her new role on 1st July 2020. 

Dr Probert’s current research investigates how leaders and their behaviours and careers are shaped by social, cognitive and emotional factors, such as identity, power and gender. Her focus is on leaders towards and at the upper echelon of organisations, with an emphasis on female leaders.

Ms. Sun has been an advocate of gender equality in the workplace and encouraged female employees to take leadership roles in the company as a matter of priority. 

In May, Ms Sun was invited to join the Vice Chancellor’s Circle of the University of Oxford. Coincidentally, 2020 also marks one hundred years since the University of Oxford allowed women to become eligible for admission as full members of the University and to take degrees. 

Given the issues facing the world, and the challenges facing business, we need to do all we can to improve the quality of leadership.

Peter Tufano

Peter Moores Dean, Saïd Business School

Joana Probert
Dr Joana Probert

Peter Tufano, Peter Moores Dean, Saïd Business School, said: ‘We are deeply grateful to Ms. Sun for her support of the Jane Jie Sun Career Development Fellow. 

‘She is a remarkable woman leader, but there need to be many more. Through our research, we hope to understand the paths to success for women leaders, and how organisations can better develop and recognise female leaders, from management through to the board room.   

‘Given the issues facing the world, and the challenges facing business, we need to do all we can to improve the quality of leadership.’

Ms. Sun said: ‘The value that women bring to the workforce and the input they have on our society is immense. Female empowerment is needed and their leadership and presence must be sustained across all industries. I am delighted to participate in this exciting partnership and to witness leadership being transformed.’

Women are largely under-represented on corporate boards, and progress to change this trend continues to be slow. According to the sixth edition of Deloitte Global’s Women in the Boardroom report, women hold just 16.9% of board seats globally. Moreover, only 5.3% of board chair positions and 4.4 % of CEO roles globally are women.

Michael Smets, Professor of Management at Saïd Business School said: “We are delighted to enter this partnership which will give energy – but especially continuity – to our research into the career trajectories of female leaders. As the recent pandemic has shown, there is much to learn from women in positions of power and leadership. Jane’s generosity allows us to support more women on their journey to the top.”