Parting Shot: Leading Talent
Parting Shot: Leading Talent
A lack of gender parity means businesses, governments, and entire countries are losing a competitive edge, writes AS/COA's Susan Segal for LatinFinance.
When it comes to gender parity in leadership positions, Latin America is falling behind. Fewer than 5% of the world’s largest corporations have female chief executive officers. Women lead a mere 1.8% of Latin America’s publically-listed companies. As a recent International Labour Organization report puts it: "Unless action is taken, it could take 100 to 200 years to achieve parity at the top."
Three decades ago while working as a senior executive for a top US financial institution, I was often the only woman in the room. Back then, female chief executives were rare and women on boards even rarer, not just in emerging markets but also in my own country.
There has been some progress, but most women still find themselves in the minority in their offices, departments, or even industries.
As I watch my own daughter begin her career, the question lingers: what else can we do to bring women to executive offices, the boardroom and politics?
