International Women's Day

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International Women's Day

The impending INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY (MARCH 8) is an opportunity to celebrate and champion the worlds female leaders, together with the companies and business men and women promoting diversity, equality & inclusivity in the workplace.?

In 2022, the proportion of women in senior management roles globally grew to?32% - the highest number ever recorded. And this figure is expected to continually increase.

However, it is also time to highlight the obstacles still being faced by women in their quest for equality in the business sphere. Women are still underrepresented in leadership positions.

News Stories

Top 10 Female Leadership Firsts in Saudi Arabia

In the last few weeks, Saudi Arabia has scored a hat trick of female firsts – the first female international referee appointed by FIFA , the first female astronaut into space, and the first female train drivers.

This push for female representation across the Saudi workforce and empowerment of women more generally is seen as key to the Kingdom’s modernisation, as part of its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

Saudi is focused on raising the share of women in the workforce from 22% to 30% in the next seven years – something that is not just great for women, but for wider society with a recent 普华永道 report finding that this could raise the MENA region's GDP by up to 57 per cent, or $2 trillion.

The Kingdom is actively encouraging women to take on leadership roles across various industries and organisations have also responded with dedicated leadership programs for women and internal quotas for female representation.

Saudi’s stock exchange ( Saudi Tadawul Group ) is a case in point, with female employees now representing 26% of the group’s total employee base and women holding many strategic roles. Last year Sheila Al-Rowaily became the first woman in the history of the Kingdom to serve on the board of directors of the Saudi Central Bank – SAMA .

Al-Rowaily is among a growing number of women taking on senior leadership roles in the kingdom and across the Gulf region and is also one of a growing number of ‘female firsts’ in leadership roles in the country.

In the lead-up to International Women's Day (March 8), and to mark Saudi Founding Day (February 22), we chart 10 women who have made leadership history in the Kingdom.

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UAE Businesswoman Raja Al Gurg Unveils New Leadership Book

One of the Arab world’s most influential businesswomen,? Dr. Raja Al Gurg ?is taking her leadership lessons public with the launch of a new business book.

The legendary UAE businesswoman, who is Chair and Managing Director at the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group , unveiled her new book,?The Power of Authenticity: Three Principles of Leadership Success, at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

The launch comes four years after Raja’s debut book,?Raja Al Gurg: An Autobiography, which charts her trailblazing ascent to prominence on the international stage and reflects on the challenges faced as a Muslim woman in business – marking the first book of its kind by an Emirati businesswoman.

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Here to Stay: The Rise of Female CEOs in the Fortune 500

Ahead of International Women's Day, Business Chief looks at the record number women who are currently heading up companies in the prestigious Fortune 500 .

At the beginning of 2023, five women started their new jobs.?

But these were not just any women, and they were not working at just any companies.?

These were pioneering, trailblazing women taking charge of companies in the prestigious?Fortune 500, which ranks the biggest firms in the US by total revenue.

Crucially, their appointments took the total number of female Fortune 500 CEOs up to 53, thus nudging above the 10% threshold for the first time in the list's seven-decade history.?

While the proportion of these business giants being led by women is still relatively small, reaching double figures is undoubtedly a symbolic milestone and will hopefully prompt a widespread change in attitudes?– even if subconsciously.?

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Trailblazer

Leena Nair – From Unilever People Pioneer to CEO of Chanel

Leena Nair ?is a woman of many firsts. As well as being the first female, first Asian and youngest ever CHRO at 联合利华 , she was the first woman in nearly all roles she held at the consumer goods giant over three decades.

But the Indian-born British national wasn’t done trailblazing. After three decades with Unilever, five as CHRO, 53-year-old Leena was tapped, in January 2022, by 香奈儿 for the French luxury group’s top job, a move that secured her two further firsts – the first luxury brand CEO of Indian origin and the first from an HR background.??

While considered an outsider in the field of luxury fashion, Leena’s appointment as Global CEO of the storied French fashion house was seen as a master stroke by Chanel to drive diversity in an industry that has been criticised for its distinct lack thereof.

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Top 10 Female CEOs of the Fortune Global 500

Just 24 companies in the Fortune Global 500 – which ranks firms by their worldwide revenue – are led by female CEOs.

This, nevertheless, represents an all-time high when it comes to female leadership in Fortune’s annual list, which has been compiled every year since 2014.

But just who are these powerful, trailblazing women and how have they made their mark on the world of business?

Here, Business Chief takes a look at the top 10.

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