A new analysis from Russell Reynolds Associates highlights that over two-thirds of senior executive roles within FTSE 100 companies are held by men, with just 12 of these companies achieving gender-balanced leadership teams.
The report emphasises the need for FTSE 100 firms to invest in developing diverse talent pipelines to improve gender representation, especially in roles that drive strategic decision-making.
Limited Gender Parity at the C-Suite Level
Only 12 of the FTSE 100 companies have achieved gender parity in their senior leadership teams, while 13 companies have one or no female C-suite executives. Despite voluntary efforts to increase female representation on boards, where women now hold 42% of seats, women make up just 32% of FTSE 100 senior executives. This is 61% below their representation in the UK population, reflecting the ongoing challenge of gender diversity in high-level roles.
Key leadership roles with P&L responsibility, such as CFOs, COOs, and business unit heads, are crucial for both succession planning and decision-making, yet only 21% of P&L leaders are women. Laura Sanderson, Co-Head of Europe, Middle East & India at Russell Reynolds Associates, underlines the importance of fostering gender diversity, explaining that “companies with gender-balanced senior leadership teams are more innovative, more profitable, more socially responsible, and provide higher-quality customer experiences.”
CEO Roles Remain Predominantly Male
The gender gap is especially pronounced at the CEO level in the FTSE 100. Men are currently eight times more likely to be appointed as CEOs, with just 11 women in these roles across the 100 companies. Women are more often represented in non-P&L positions, such as Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs), where they make up 79% of positions. However, roles crucial to CEO succession, such as P&L leadership, COO, and CFO positions, are still predominantly male-dominated.
Russell Reynolds’ findings show that the pipeline for women in leadership roles remains limited, hindering the development of future female CEOs. Sanderson stresses the importance of increasing support networks and reconsidering traditional views of CEO qualifications, highlighting the launch of Russell Reynolds’ Artemis programme to accelerate the development of high-potential women within global organisations.
Comparatively, FTSE 100 companies show better gender representation in senior roles than the S&P 100 in the United States. Women hold 9% of CEO roles in the S&P 100 compared to the 11% in the FTSE 100, and only 8% of COO roles stateside compared to 28% in the FTSE 100. Strategy leadership roles in the FTSE 100 are 36% female, higher than the 22% observed in the S&P 100.
