Virgin Australia's appointment of leading businesswoman Elizabeth Bryan as the airline's next chairman has been welcomed as positive move by a group representing women on boards.
But there's still a long way to go to achieve gender equality in the nation's boardrooms, Women's Leadership Institute Australia says.
Virgin announced on Tuesday that Ms Bryan would replace Neil Chatfield as chairman, a position Mr Chatfield has held since June 2007.
Ms Bryan, who is also the chairman at Caltex Australia and UniSuper, is not currently on Virgin's board.
Her previous roles include chief executive of Deutsche Asset Management Australia and its predecessor, the State Super Investment and Management Corporation.
Women's Leadership Institute Australia executive director Amy Mullins welcomed Ms Bryan's appointment.
"I think it's really positive," she told AAP.
"Elizabeth Bryan is a very distinguished board director and chair. Obviously, coming from Caltex and being very successful there, it is very promising for Virgin Australia.
However, Ms Mullins said there was more work to be done to increase the number of women on company boards.
"There's certainly a big way to go," Ms Mullins said.
"It's very important to have women on boards but more specifically women in chair roles, because it certainly provides role models for other women in business.
"It also feeds right down through to women at executive level and the way that people in business see women."
According to lobby group Women on Boards' 2015 report, 20 per cent of directors of ASX200 listed companies are women, a 4.1 per cent lift from 2013.
There are still 38 ASX200 listed companies without a female director, the report says.
Ms Bryan's appointment at Virgin takes effect from May 20.
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