Collingwood have recruited one of Australia's leading chief executives to their board. The addition of Christine Holgate, British-born boss of booming ASX-listed supplements empire Blackmores, means two women will sit at the top table of power at the AFL's most iconic club for the first time.
The development comes amid broader concerted efforts by the Magpies to develop, retain and promote women already working in football, and attract more females - whether fans or future employees - generally. 
When the AFL launches a women's league next year, Collingwood are among the clubs that want a team in the competition that promises to transform the code. More immediately, the arrival of a fresh face in the Pies' hierarchy will see Doctor Jack Kennedy named official club patron and draw the line at his 22 years' board service.
Holgate, voted CEO of 2015 by the CEO Institute and CEO Magazine, has spoken to Fairfax Media about the clear opportunity she sees for Collingwood to lift its membership through pioneering international initiatives.
Tabling British soccer powerhouses Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United as examples of clubs that boast even greater membership numbers abroad than they do at home, Holgate said a similar opportunity beckoned for the Pies.
Asked for her thoughts on joining a historically thin rank of females appointed to have genuine influence among AFL decision-makers, Holgate said she would relish the opportunity. The former non-executive director for Ten Network Holdings Limited, who has worked internationally in telecommunications, internet businesses and investment banking, underlined that the picture on the gender-hierarchy score is "considerably" brighter for women at AFL clubs than it is in the upper echelons of Australian business.
"My skill set and my background is quite different from the other board members," Holgate said. "I hope that my experience in supporting Australian brands create new areas for growth both domestically and internationally, and building new revenue streams, can help the club. I think the club has a huge opportunity to grow a fan base overseas and connect with Australians when they're living overseas and create a point of connectivity back to home. I hope I can help with that."
Holgate's first contact with Collingwood came 13 years ago, just months after she relocated to Australia and was working for Telstra. A chance invitation to the football came from a business meeting where Eddie McGuire was among the attendees.
"I just loved it," Holgate recalled of the night she was accompanied by the Magpies' president and Kennedy, the man she is now replacing on the club's board, and profoundly impressed by their passion. "Collingwood gave me a sense of belonging in Australia when actually I was probably feeling quite disjointed."
Blackmores is booming on Holgate's watch. Last year it reported its market capitalisation had grown from $520 million to $1.5billion. The company is among Collingwood's sponsors; a fact upon which Holgate commented: "Because I'm openly conflicted, I never get involved in the sponsorship decisions [of Blackmores] ... that's now led by Dave Fenlon, who is the managing director of my Australian business."
Collingwood are moulding themselves to be a modern leader when it comes to embracing women at every level of the game.
Collingwood employ 33 women full-time and have a gender split of precisely 50-50 in administrative positions. Winter Olympic and world champion aerial skier Alisa Camplin has been the lone female Collingwood board member since she joined in 2009. Camplin replaced distinguished business woman and former Committee for Melbourne CEO, Sally Capp.
CHRISTINE HOLGATE
" CEO Blackmores Limited since   November 2008.
" Chair of the board of the Australian-ASEAN Council since   September 2015.
" Non-executive director of Ten Network Holdings and member of their remuneration committee until   December
2015 (on board for five years).
" Three decades international experience in healthcare, media, telecommunications
and finance.
" 2015 CEO of the Year (awarded by CEO Institute and The CEO Magazine).