NZ Bucks Trend as Women in Senior Management Falls Globally

NZ Bucks Trend as Proportion of Women in Senior Management Falls Globally

Globally the proportion of women who currently hold senior management positions has dropped from 24% to 20% in the last two years, where as in New Zealand this has risen from 27% to 32%, according to research from the 2011 Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR).

Across the world, Thailand boasts the greatest percentage of women in senior management (45%), followed by Georgia (40%), Russia (36%), Hong Kong and the Philippines (both 35%). The countries with the lowest percentages are India, the United Arab Emirates and Japan where fewer than 10% of senior management positions are held by women.

Pam Newlove, National Director of Privately Held Business with Grant Thornton New Zealand, said that while New Zealand is comfortably ahead of neighbours Australia (27%) as well as the United Kingdom (23%) and the United States (15%), there was still a lot of work to be done for us to match some of the Asian countries.

“Women certainly excel in some areas required in senior management, such as an ability to maintain strong relationships with clients. But generally require a greater level of flexibility in their roles to fit in with their other (in many cases family) commitments, and this sometimes can become a barrier to promotion.

“Those women in senior management roles have an obligation to mentor younger women who are showing management talent,” she said.

Ms Newlove said that she thought that it was probable that a large number of women were not aggressively aspiring to the senior management roles simply because they’re balancing a number of commitments and priorities.

“Anecdotally women comprise roughly 50% of university graduates. But, I think to reach a senior management role, it’s not just about having a university degree – a number of unique personality traits are called for. The current survey results possibly indicate a need for easier access to good leadership training for young women,” she said.

The data revealed that G7 countries lag behind the global average with only 16% of women holding senior roles whilst, regionally, Asia Pacific (excl. Japan) scores highest with 27%. Women have become most successful in increasing their share of senior management roles in Thailand, Hong Kong, Greece, Belgium and Botswana, where the percentage of women in these roles has risen by at least 7% since 2009.

Roles for women

Of the companies that employ women in senior managerial positions globally, 22% are employed in financial positions (eg Chief Financial Officer/Finance Director). This is followed by Human Resource Director (20%), Chief Marketing Officer and Sales Director (both 9%).

Globally just 8% of companies with women in senior managerial positions have a female Chief Executive Officer (CEO). However the story is different in Asian economies. Thailand leads the way with 30% of companies employing female CEOs, followed by mainland China (19%), Taiwan (18%) and Vietnam (16%).

In New Zealand 7% of companies have a female CEO, 28% Chief Financial Officer, 12% Human Resources Director, 10% Chief Operating Officer and 8% Partner, 7% Chief Marketing Officer.

ENDS

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