Austrailian women struggling to gain top jobs

Aimme Lewis FAPA

Women have made no significant gains in their representation among ASX 200 companies or in key executive positions over the last eight years according to new research by an Australian University.

The Australian Census of Women in Leadership, conducted by Macquarie University, shows that women hold only 8.4 percent of board positions and 8 percent of Executive Key Management positions. Among ASX 200 companies there are only six female CEOs and five female chairs.

The number of women in executive positions is likely to decrease rather than increase in the future, with only 4.1 percent of line roles are occupied by women, with line roles largely considered the pipeline to the Executive and CEO roles.

Australian women in senior positions lag UK, New Zealand, Canada, US and South Africa, suggesting an alarming need for action in Australia to rectify the gender imbalance

Aimee Lewis FAPA