Articles and publications on Women in Business
Progress towards gender parity in mid-market firms is moving in the right direction – but not quickly enough. For 21 years, we’ve tracked the ratio of women occupying senior management roles in mid-market firms around the world. In the last five years, we’ve seen sustained growth on this key measure, but the rate of change is still too slow.
For 18 years, Grant Thornton has tracked the global progress of women in senior management. By surveying senior leaders from 5,000 businesses across 29 economies, the Women in Business 2022 report outlines the evolution of worldwide leadership models and the successful implementation of diversity and inclusion policies to retain and attract female talent within organizations. Using our findings as a guide, corporate leaders can discover what strategies have proven effective to attracting this vital talent demographic and what more can be done to allow female talent to flourish for the overall growth of the company.
For 17 years, Grant Thornton has been tracking the global progress of women in senior management. In the last 12 months, unprecedented events have had an unforeseen and unparalleled impact on that progress.
Over the last 12 months, our women in business research has drilled down into the gender diversity stats of mid-market organisations around the world, looking at how the numbers are changing, and most importantly, what businesses are doing to make them change.
Investing in gender equality is a proven driver of performance and a competitive advantage. This year’s Women in Business research shows that mid-market firms who are maintaining their gender equality initiatives and plan to implement new ones were the most likely to report significant growth in revenue and staff numbers. Investors are looking for gender balanced leadership, or a commitment to achieving it, and employees view it as a reason to join or stay.
What a trade war means for Asia Pacific businesses
Our 2019 Women in business report: building a blueprint for action shows that progress is being made towards gender parity at the senior management level. The last 12 months have seen increases in both the proportion of senior roles held by women and the proportion of businesses with at least one woman in senior management.
South East Asia is a bright spot in the global economy. The outlook for the region is sustained, healthy growth of more than 5% per year between now and 2022.(i) Against this backdrop, business sentiment has hit a new high. We explore what is driving this positivity and find that infrastructure emerges as a source of real opportunity for ASEAN firms in the coming years. At the same time, however, concerns over climate change loom large. Greater cooperation will be key to overcoming these environmental risks.
Given the slowing rate of economic growth, businesses across Asia Pacific (APAC) region have an appetite for automation. In this article we explore where that support is strongest, and why. We find that amid the rich opportunities, risks are present in the automation revolution. Businesses and policymakers should confront these challenges now, to avoid hampering future growth prospects.
09 Mar 2026
The Grant Thornton Women in Business Report reveals Malaysia has recorded its highest-ever proportion of women in senior management. 41.9% of senior leadership roles in Malaysia are now held by women, up from 36.2% in 2025 and well above the global average of 32.9%.
17 Mar 2025
The percentage of women in top leadership positions has decreased, according to the latest Grant Thornton Women in Business report. Women's representation in senior management dropped from 40.4% in 2023 to 39.6% in 2024 and further to 36.2% in 2025 among a sample of 86 businesses in Malaysia. At the same time, the number of businesses with no female representation in senior management has increased sharply, rising from 2.8% in 2024 to 9.3% in 2025.
17 Mar 2025
The Grant Thornton Women in Business Report reveals a concerning decline in the representation of women in senior management positions in Malaysia. According to Grant Thornton Malaysia PLT, the percentage of women in these roles dropped from 40.4 per cent in 2023 to 39.6 per cent in 2024, and is expected to decrease further to 36.2 per cent in 2025.
11 Mar 2025
On Bernama TV: Enhancing Female Participation and Leadership in the Workforce
12 Mar 2025
The Grant Thornton Women in Business Report reveals a concerning decline in the number of women in senior management in Malaysia. The findings found that the number has dropped from 40.4% in 2023 to 39.6% in 2024, and further to 36.2% in 2025.
National Tax Practice Leader, CEO of Grant Thornton Taxation Sdn Bhd
