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Posted 16th October 2023

The UK Cities with the Most Female Leaders

A recent study, carried out by Instant Offices provides an in-depth look into the landscape of female leadership throughout the UK. The focus of this analysis spans various dimensions such as location, age, and industry sectors.

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The UK Cities with the Most Female Leaders
Young business woman looking at the camera with her colleagues on the background

Manchester, Birmingham & Bristol in Top 10 UK Cities Championing the Surge in Female Leaders!    

 

  • The UK has witnessed a remarkable 150% surge in female leadership positions. 
  • London leads the way with 32,854 female leaders, followed distantly by Manchester at 3,269. 
  • Real estate emerges as the top industry for female leaders, showing a staggering 147% growth in female leadership since 2018-2019. 

 

A recent study, carried out by Instant Offices provides an in-depth look into the landscape of female leadership throughout the UK. The focus of this analysis spans various dimensions such as location, age, and industry sectors. The results not only spotlight the current scenario but also gauge the trajectory in the representation of female leadership. 

Instant Offices, as a pioneering entity in the flexible workspace solution sector, remains committed to facilitating businesses with updated data-driven insights. With its comprehensive analysis, Instant Offices aids businesses in navigating the ever-evolving workspace landscape. 

 

Cities Making Strides:

Leading the pack, London emerges as the paramount hub for female leaders, with a total count of 32,854. This count dwarfs the second-placed Manchester, which hosts 3,269 female leaders. A unique trend surfaces in London where a significant majority of leadership roles are held by the younger demographic aged 18-25. As we traverse the length and breadth of the UK, older demographics are more prevalent in leadership roles, signifying the capital’s distinctive appeal to younger leaders. 

 

Top 10 cities with the most female leaders

London

32,854

Manchester

3,269

Birmingham

2,516

Bristol

1,582

Leeds

1,548

Nottingham

1,539

Leicester

1,252

Liverpool

1,246

Cardiff

1,226

Sheffield

1,056

 

Age & Leadership:

The age distribution among female leaders paints a vivid picture. Women aged between 31 and 40 are leading the pack, holding the highest number of leadership positions. On the contrary, those between 18-25 hold fewer positions. It’s also noteworthy that a decline in leadership roles can be observed among women over 40 – a trend potentially influenced by women stepping back from the workforce in their later years.

 

Number of female leadership positions by age

18-25

4,240

25-30

13,072

31-40

26,615

41-50

20,676

50+

17,411

 

Industries Pioneering Change:

Entrepreneurship emerges as a significant catalyst, propelling more women into leadership roles. The real estate industry champions this cause with a total of 19,984 positions held by women. This represents a breathtaking 147% increase from the numbers observed in the years 2018-2019. Furthermore, industries like retail & beauty and business support services have also showcased significant growth in female leadership, proving that a holistic shift towards inclusive leadership isn’t just a hope but a reality. 

 

Top 10 industries with the most female leaders

Letting/operating personal real estate

8736

Buying/selling of personal real estate

7872

Mail order & online retail

6765

Management or consultancy

6709

Business support services

4530

Other service activities

3951

Activities for holding companies

3487

Hairdressing and other beauty treatment

3167

Dormant Company

2997

Health & Wellbeing

2867

This comprehensive data not only highlights the current trends but also underscores a promising uptrend in the representation of female leadership across various industries and cities in the UK. With such encouraging statistics, the prospects for aspiring female leaders in the UK shine brighter than ever. 

Categories: Leadership, News


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