Women's share of new CEO appointments falls to one in seven
Women took only about one in seven newly appointed CEO roles in 2026, down from one in four the year before. Research suggests part-time leadership and co-CEO arrangements could help keep women in senior roles and narrow Australia's pay gap.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
This story is no longer being updated. It reflects reporting up to .
What happened
Research suggests more part-time bosses and co-CEO arrangements could help keep women in senior roles and narrow Australia's pay gap. Uneven caring duties and few flexible work options have kept women out of senior positions. Women also received fewer newly named CEO posts, falling from one in four in 2025 to one in seven in 2026.
Why it matters
Women's representation in C-suites is slipping, while flexible leadership models are presented as a way to narrow Australia's pay gap.
Timeline
- Oct 12, 10:01 AM ET: Research was published suggesting part-time and co-CEO leadership could keep women in senior roles and narrow Australia's pay gap.
- Oct 13, 2:00 PM ET: New figures showed women's share of new chief executive appointments fell to one in seven in 2026, down from one in four in 2025.
Coverage
- Women’s representation in C-suites is going backwards amid rising workplace pushback against DEI (Emma McGrath-Cohen)
- More part-time bosses and co-CEOs could keep women in leadership and narrow Australia’s pay gap (The Guardian)
More from Lifestyle
- AI search may steer tourists away from Europe's lesser-known places
- Annabel Grossman explores Louisiana's identity through its gumbo
- Gary Shteyngart praises New York City in travel piece
- Young people seek AI guidance on dating and companionship
- Writer trades pizza delivery for a Subway job in Perth
- Anyday cuts 20% off plastic-free Anydeli containers