Business · Companies · 2 hrs ago
Women’s share of senior leadership roles has stalled
Women’s share of C-suite and board positions has stalled at about 30%, even as more women have become CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.
At a leadership summit in California, executives and advisers said organizations have put less focus on developing and recruiting women for senior roles.
They also pointed to fewer discussions of workplace diversity and persistent barriers on the path to becoming a CEO.
Many women may not see themselves as candidates: a study cited at the summit found that 36% had considered or wanted to become a CEO.
Speakers said senior colleagues, especially men, can help by mentoring women and advocating for them to advance.
They also noted that women are ahead of men in skills related to artificial intelligence, which could create new opportunities as workplaces adapt to the technology.
The speakers said continued effort is needed to strengthen women’s leadership pipelines.
Women’s share of C-suite and board roles has stalled at about 30%, according to the article.
The Fortune 500 has 56 companies led by women, about 11.2% of the list.
Experts cited a weaker focus on recruiting and developing women leaders, workplace conditions and persistent barriers to becoming a CEO.
Only 36% of women in the workplace have considered becoming a CEO or said they wanted to be one, according to Russell Reynolds Associates.
Speakers at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit said sustained support, including mentorship and sponsorship, is needed to advance women leaders.
- Who
- Women seeking senior leadership roles, and the organizations responsible for recruiting and developing them.
- What
- Women’s share of C-suite and board roles has stalled at about 30%.
- When
- The article was published on October 12, 2026; the summit discussion took place on Monday.
- Where
- The discussion took place at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Santa Barbara, California.
- Why
- Experts pointed to reduced attention to developing women leaders, workplace conditions and persistent barriers to reaching the top.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The share of Fortune 500 companies led by women was 7.4%.
Upwork board chair told Hayden Brown, “You should be a CEO.
Speakers discussed women’s progress in leadership at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Santa Barbara, California.
Fortune published the article describing the slowdown in women’s advancement to senior executive roles.
- Women-led Fortune 500 companies
- 56, or about 11.2% of the list
- Women’s share of C-suite and board roles
- About 30%
- Women considering or wanting to become a CEO
- 36%, according to Russell Reynolds Associates
- Summit location
- Santa Barbara, California
- Article publication date
- October 12, 2026
What people are saying
If you take your foot off the pedal at all, you will start to stall.
We can’t take away an environment where there is a question, almost a recalibration of women in the world, where unfortunately negative rhetoric from lots of different dimensions have women being challenged externally, internally, by the boards.
We can’t 3D print our candidates.
I grew up in like the most pro-women household, and yet it took our board chair,, probably 10 years ago, to say to me, ‘You should be a CEO,’
Sources
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