Women In NZ Executive Ranks Rise As International

News Release
8 March 2009

Women In NZ Executive Ranks Rise As International
Women’s Day Is Celebrated

Women in business in New Zealand are doing better than their counterparts in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries in Western Europe, including Scandinavia.

The latest findings from accounting and business advisers Grant Thornton’s International Business Report survey show that the average proportion of women in the senior management of businesses in New Zealand is 27%.

And 70% of New Zealand companies have between one and three women participating in senior management. In some cases there are more than three women executives per business.

“This is welcome news, coming as it does as the world celebrates International Women’s Day [March 8],” said Grant Thornton’s business advisory services director based in Auckland, Pam Newlove.

“Last year, the average figure for women in senior management in New Zealand was 24%, so it’s great to see the percentage on the rise. It is also significant that New Zealand is ahead of countries such as Australia (23%), the United Kingdom (21%) and the United States (20%).

“The average for the European Union is only 20%.”

Ms Newlove said the global average of 24% had been boosted by some particular countries, among them traditionally high league leader the Philippines (47%), Russia (42%) and Thailand (38%).

“Women in the Philippines have well and truly broken the glass ceiling and it is extremely rare to encounter an all-male management team there,” she said. “In New Zealand, that is also the case in more than two-thirds of businesses, and it seems only a matter of time before 75% or more of New Zealand businesses have between one and three women in their executive ranks.

“The issue beyond that will be how many of them will be at the top of the tree as chief executives, and whether the number on boards of directors will improve.”

ENDS

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