According to the 2011 Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) survey, Thailand has the highest percentage of women holding senior management titles (45 percent) in privately owned businesses.
According to the survey, Thailand is followed by Georgia, Russia, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. Countries with the lowest percentages are India, United Arab Emirates, and Japan, where women hold less than 10 percent of senior management positions.
“The Thai working culture provides equal opportunities to both men and women to reach senior management levels. Companies committed to diversifying their leadership mostly ensure that women have an equal shot at ‘stretch’ assignments, such as serving on company-wide task forces, being part of start-up or turnaround operations, and gaining international experience,” said Achara Boonyahansa, business development director of Grant Thornton Thailand.
The survey showed that globally, only eight percent of companies with women in senior managerial positions have a female chief executive officer (CEO). However, many Asian countries are showing initiative in this category, with Thailand having 30 percent of companies employing female CEOs, followed by China (19 percent), Taiwan (18 percent), and Vietnam (16 percent). ♦
Information from The Nation contributed to this report.