Jim Tucker

Queensland rugby’s first female director in 129 years has no intention of being a token woman in the boardroom when big decisions for the code are taken.

Kirstin Ferguson, 38, has stepped up after being courted by teh Queensland Rugby Union as an ideal skills fit for the nine-member board.

She brings her leadership record in business, commercial experience, work in government relations and legal acumen to a code on the upswing.

“It’s a very exciting time to become involved,” said Ferguson, recently CEO of Sentis, the global health and safety organisation.

“Every board is looking for a diversity of experience and skills.

“Obviously, I have had different experiences but whether that comes from being female I don’t know. Working well together as a team is something I feel every board should keep working at.”

She replaces the retiring Ross Williams.

The mother of two girls grew up in NSW but said her allegiances were “very quickly swapped to Queensland in sport” when she arrived here in 1995.

She is not the first female to fit on a board of a football code. Media presenter Sally Loan was voted on to the NSW Rugby Union board in 2008 while Linda Nash sits on the board of the Brisbane Lions AFL club.

The QRU announced a loss of $1.1 million for 2010 at Saturday’s annual general meeting, compared with the 2009 loss of $3.1 million.

“While the 2010 result is well ahead of early forecasts, it is still disappointing,” QRU chief executive Jim Carmichael reported.

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