The glass ceiling is showing some cracks but remains firmly in place, as evidenced by a global landscape where women held only 10.6% of Fortune 500 CEO roles and just 28% of US C-suite positions in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, women held 10.6% of CEO positions in the Fortune 500 companies, up from 6.6% in 2021
- Globally, women accounted for 19% of C-suite positions in 2023 according to McKinsey's Women in the Workplace report
- In the US, women make up 28% of C-suite roles in large companies as of 2023, with stagnation since 2015
- In 2023, women held 33% of board seats in S&P 500 companies, up from 30% in 2022
- FTSE 100 UK boards reached 40% women in 2023
- California public companies mandated 30%+ women boards, achieving 32% by 2023
- In 2023, women comprised 26.5% of parliamentarians worldwide per IPU
- Rwanda parliament 61% women in 2023, highest globally
- Cuba national assembly 55% women 2023
- In 2023, women represented 24% of university presidents in the US
- Ivy League universities had 40% female presidents in 2023
- UK Russell Group unis 25% women vice-chancellors 2023
- In 2023, women founded 20% of US unicorn startups valued over $1B
- Female-led VC-backed startups 2.3% of unicorns globally 2023
- Women CEOs in tech unicorns 12% in 2023
Despite recent gains, women remain significantly underrepresented in global leadership positions.
Academic Leadership
- In 2023, women represented 24% of university presidents in the US
- Ivy League universities had 40% female presidents in 2023
- UK Russell Group unis 25% women vice-chancellors 2023
- Australia Group of Eight unis 30% women heads 2023
- Canada top 20 unis 35% female presidents 2023
- Women deans in US medical schools 18% in 2023
- Engineering schools deans 12% women globally 2023
- Law school deans 40% women US 2023
- Business school deans 30% women worldwide 2023
- STEM department chairs 20% women US research unis 2023
- Humanities dept chairs 45% women 2023 US
- Women provosts in US colleges 50% in 2023
- Female tenure-track professors 38% US 2023
- Full professors women 25% in US unis 2023
- Women in Nobel science prizes 6% historically to 2023
- Fields Medal women winners 2 out of 64 to 2023
- Women presidents of national academies sciences: US 20% 2023
- Europe ERC grantees women 27% advanced grants 2023
- UK REF panel chairs 35% women 2023
- Women in top 100 global unis leadership 22% 2023 QS
- Latin America unis presidents 28% women 2023
- Asia unis vice-chancellors 15% women 2023
- Africa unis leadership 18% women 2023
- Women editors-in-chief top journals 25% STEM 2023
- Female R1 university presidents 26% US 2023
Academic Leadership Interpretation
The academic ladder clearly has a glass ceiling, and while the higher rungs are still cracking under the pressure, the view from the lower ones shows women are carrying the entire structure.
Boardroom Representation
- In 2023, women held 33% of board seats in S&P 500 companies, up from 30% in 2022
- FTSE 100 UK boards reached 40% women in 2023
- California public companies mandated 30%+ women boards, achieving 32% by 2023
- EU large listed companies hit 33% women on boards in 2023 per directive
- Norway boards 42% women since quota in 2008, stable in 2023
- Australia ASX 300 boards 35% women in 2023
- India NSE top 500 boards 19% women in 2023
- Japan boards 12% women in prime-listed firms 2023
- Brazil B3 boards 22% women 2023
- South Africa JSE boards 28% women 2023
- Credit Suisse CS Gender 3000: Global boards 25% women 2023
- Russell 3000 boards 31% women 2023 US
- Tech S&P 500 boards 28% women 2023
- Financial sector boards 32% women globally 2023
- Energy boards 27% women 2023
- Healthcare boards 38% women 2023 US
- Consumer goods boards 36% women globally 2023
- Chairs/lead directors: 12% women in S&P 500 2023
- Committee chairs: Women 25% audit committees S&P 500 2023
- Nomination committees 28% women globally 2023
- Compensation committees 30% women S&P 500 2023
- Black women 5% of S&P 500 boards 2023
- Latinas 2% of Fortune 500 boards 2023
- Asia-Pacific boards 22% women 2023
- Middle East boards 10% women 2023
- Africa boards 20% women large firms 2023
Boardroom Representation Interpretation
Progress is being made globally in boardroom gender diversity, with real momentum in many regions and sectors, yet the persistent lag in leadership chairs and for women of color reminds us that a seat at the table is not the same as a voice at the head of it.
Corporate Executives
- In 2023, women held 10.6% of CEO positions in the Fortune 500 companies, up from 6.6% in 2021
- Globally, women accounted for 19% of C-suite positions in 2023 according to McKinsey's Women in the Workplace report
- In the US, women make up 28% of C-suite roles in large companies as of 2023, with stagnation since 2015
- UK FTSE 100 companies had 24% female CEOs in 2023, a record high
- In India, women held 5.8% of CEO positions in NSE-listed companies in 2023
- Australian ASX 200 companies reported 7.5% women CEOs in 2023
- In France, 20% of CAC 40 companies had female CEOs in 2023 due to quotas
- German DAX 40 firms had 12.5% female CEOs in 2023
- Japan Nikkei 225 companies saw women CEOs at 2.8% in 2023
- Brazil B3 index had 4.2% women CEOs in 2023
- In 2023, S&P Global 1200 companies had 8% women in CEO roles globally
- Women CEOs in Russell 3000 US firms reached 9.2% in 2023
- Canadian TSX 60 companies had 13% female CEOs in 2023
- South Africa JSE Top 40 had 6% women CEOs in 2023
- In tech sector, women held 5% of CEO positions in Fortune 500 tech firms in 2023
- Financial services: 11% women CEOs in top US banks 2023
- Healthcare: Women CEOs at 12% in Fortune 500 healthcare in 2023
- Retail: 15% women CEOs in top retail firms globally 2023
- Energy sector: Only 4% women CEOs in oil & gas majors 2023
- Manufacturing: 7% women CEOs in global industrials 2023
- Women C-suite in Europe averaged 18% in 2023 per Credit Suisse
- Asia-Pacific C-suite women at 14% in 2023
- Latin America C-suite 16% women 2023
- Africa C-suite women 12% in large firms 2023
- Middle East C-suite women 9% in 2023
- In startups, women CEOs dropped to 2% in unicorn companies 2023
- Women in CFO roles: 15% globally in large corps 2023
- COO positions: 12% women worldwide 2023
- CMO roles: 45% women in US firms 2023
- CHRO positions: 70% women globally 2023
Corporate Executives Interpretation
While we've mastered the art of women leading the 'Chief Heart and Soul' departments like HR and marketing, the global boardroom for the top job remains a stubbornly exclusive gentlemen's club, where cracking 10% is still considered a breakthrough.
Political Leadership
- In 2023, women comprised 26.5% of parliamentarians worldwide per IPU
- Rwanda parliament 61% women in 2023, highest globally
- Cuba national assembly 55% women 2023
- Nicaragua congress 52% women 2023
- New Zealand parliament 50% women post-2023 election
- US Congress 27.2% women in House and Senate combined 2023
- UK Parliament House of Commons 35% women MPs 2023
- EU Parliament 41% women MEPs 2023
- Canada House of Commons 30% women MPs 2023
- Australia Parliament 33% women 2023
- India Lok Sabha 14.7% women MPs 2023
- Japan Diet lower house 10% women 2023
- Brazil Congress 18% women 2023
- South Africa Parliament 46% women 2023
- Germany Bundestag 35% women 2023
- France National Assembly 26% women post-2022 election stable 2023
- Mexico Congress 50% women due to quotas 2023
- Sweden Parliament 47% women 2023
- Spain Congress 44% women 2023
- Italy Chamber of Deputies 32% women 2023
- Women ministers globally 22.8% in 2023 per UN Women
- Female heads of state/government: 13 countries in 2023
- US state governors: 12 women (24%) in 2023
- Female mayors in top 100 US cities: 25% in 2023
- Local government women councilors global avg 36% 2023 IPU
Political Leadership Interpretation
While the global average for women in parliament remains a sobering 26.5%, the striking success of countries like Rwanda, Cuba, and New Zealand proves that achieving genuine parity is possible, though it seems the political will to do so is as unevenly distributed as the representation itself.
Tech and Entrepreneurship
- In 2023, women founded 20% of US unicorn startups valued over $1B
- Female-led VC-backed startups 2.3% of unicorns globally 2023
- Women CEOs in tech unicorns 12% in 2023
- India women-led startups raised 2.5% of total VC $2.2B in 2023
- Europe women-founded startups 15% of total 2023
- Women in AI startups founders 18% globally 2023
- Fintech women CEOs 8% of top firms 2023
- Biotech startups women founders 25% US 2023
- SaaS companies women CEOs 11% 2023
- E-commerce startups 22% women-led globally 2023
- VC partners women 11% globally 2023
- Angel investors women 12% of total 2023 US
- Women-led startups get 2% of VC funding globally 2023 PitchBook
- Black women founders 1% of funded startups 2023
- Latinx women founders 0.5% VC-funded 2023
- Asia tech startups women CEOs 7% 2023
- Africa women-led startups 20% but 5% funded 2023
- Female solo founders 25% of bootstrapped tech firms 2023
- Women in cybersecurity startups leadership 15% 2023
- Climate tech women founders 28% 2023
- Edtech women CEOs 30% globally 2023
- Healthtech startups 35% women-led 2023
- Gaming industry women studio heads 5% 2023
- Blockchain/crypto women founders 4% 2023
- AR/VR startups women CEOs 10% 2023
- Women accelerators portfolio 40% female-led 2023 Techstars
- Y Combinator women founders 20% batches 2023
Tech and Entrepreneurship Interpretation
The statistics present a stubbornly incremental parade where women's leadership and funding in innovation seem stuck in the "beta-testing for equality" phase, performing well only in sectors stereotypically deemed 'nurturing' while being virtually locked out of the venture capital server room and the more bro-heavy tech arenas.
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