Women Leaders in Business: The Current State

From 2015 to 2025, the number of women serving on boards or holding C-level titles has nearly doubled. Unfortunately, in recent years, the rate of that growth has begun to stagnate. In an era where diversity and inclusivity are at the forefront of modern organisations’ minds, it is curious that this rate is decreasing. Let’s explore some of the research on why female leaders are in short supply.

Women in Leadership: A Steady Decline?

Women continue to strive for opportunities to lead in the business world, but the statistics show a decline in the number of standing leaders over the past five years. European countries such as Italy, Ireland, Germany, and France show the steepest declines, ranging from -0.1pp (Italy) to -4.1pp (Ireland). Globally, the percentage of female leaders has dropped by nearly a full percentage point, revealing that this is not a regional issue, but a global phenomenon. 

In addition, at the middle-to-low levels, women are also seeing a slight decline in average representation. In the wake of the AI boom and the scramble for employees and leaders capable of flexible, nonlinear, and cross-functional work, it is astounding that women are being overlooked. Strangely enough, as women attain higher levels of tertiary education, the leadership gap widens rather than narrowing, as one might expect. 

How Valuable is Diversity?

If this trend continues, the gap will widen, and the expertise, knowledge, and diverse perspectives that women can offer in the workplace will go untapped. Diverse workplaces, particularly those led by women in managerial or other executive roles, tend to outperform non-diverse teams by at least 25%. Companies across the globe need to realise the value that female leadership can bring to their organisations and leverage that expertise in the wake of AI’s emergence. 

At a base level, diversity, whether by gender or other characteristics, should be encouraged because it broadens the available talent pool. Moreover, it opens opportunities, particularly in sales and marketing, to connect with clients beyond a professional level. There is a certain level of familiarity and comfort that only interacting with the same gender, ethnic background, or cultural background can provide. 

Diverse teams also tend to develop better collaborative skills and find ways to complement each other’s differences. Consequently, the turnover rates of these teams also trend towards the lower end, deliver better-quality products and services, and are generally more competitive in the market. If organisations are truly striving to build teams that go above and beyond to achieve business success, then diversity should be their top priority.

The Statistics: What Has The Ortus Club Found?

At The Ortus Club’s events, the vast majority of attendees across nearly all executive levels are male. The disparity between the two demographics is quite polarising. For example, 15% of our guests are C-level executives. Only 3% from that are female leaders, whilst the remainder are male. Likewise, 26% of our guests are directors, and nearly 18% of those are male, while only about 8% are female. All in all, according to the event statistics we have recorded, the number of male executives will, at the very least, be double the number of female attendees. 

“These numbers aren’t just statistics; they are a clear call to action. While our data reflects a significant gender disparity currently present in the upper echelons of corporate leadership, it also reinforces our commitment to creating more inclusive spaces. At The Ortus Club, we believe that the most valuable boardroom conversations are those that include a diverse range of perspectives, and we are actively working to ensure our guest lists evolve to better represent the brilliant female leaders shaping the future of business.”

— Jamie Aclan, Managing Director, The Ortus Club

The Ortus Club Perspective

At The Ortus Club, we believe that everyone can belong at the roundtable. Every executive we invite to our events brings unique and innovative perspectives on contemporary business challenges. In such a volatile market governed by leadership’s capability to be flexible, collaborative, and creative, it is a shame that the wisdom of female leadership remains unrecognised. 

As we go into Women’s Month and beyond, let us recognise the value of different perspectives, the strength and resilience of female leaders, and how much they have proven to be the difference between stagnant and successful businesses in 2026 and beyond.