GCC board gender diversity rises to 6.8% in 2025, UAE leads with 14.8%

The share of women on corporate boards across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) rose to 6.8 per cent in early 2025, up from 5.2 per cent a year earlier, with the UAE leading regional progress at 14.8 per cent, according to the latest GCC Board Gender Index Report released by Heriot-Watt University and Aurora50.

The report, now in its second edition, is the only cross-GCC study tracking female representation on the boards of publicly listed companies.

It recorded double-digit growth in every country in the region since 2024, based on data from 729 listed companies and 5,535 board seats as of January 2025.

How these GCC nations fared in the Board Gender Index Report

The UAE registered the strongest performance with 14.8 per cent of board seats (185 of 1,248) held by women, up from 10.8 per cent a year earlier—a 37 per cent increase.

Bahrain followed at 8.5 per cent, overtaking Oman, which stood at 6.6 per cent. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar recorded 5.5 per cent, 2.9 per cent, and 2.8 per cent respectively.

“When Aurora50 launched in 2020 with its vision of gender parity on corporate boards, only 3.5 per cent of UAE board seats were held by women,” said Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, director of Aurora50. “As we mark our fifth anniversary, it is promising to see that figure rise over fourfold and to almost 7 per cent across the region.”

The findings reflect growing momentum for gender inclusion in GCC boardrooms, supported by government strategies and public-private collaborations.

“Tracking this progress – as the GCC Board Gender Index does – is key to creating, and bolstering, a strong pipeline of female talent at every level,” Sheikha Shamma added.

The report also underscores the role of data transparency and collaboration in fostering long-term gender parity.

Heriot-Watt University Dubai and Aurora50 have committed to updating and publishing the index annually until at least 2027, with plans underway for a fully searchable database and additional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) research initiatives.

Professor Dame Heather McGregor, provost and vice principal of Heriot-Watt University Dubai, noted: “The progress we are seeing is promising; year-on-year increase in women’s board representation signals real momentum.

“Although there is a lot of work to be done, the UAE has shown significant progress, which is a key step towards gender parity on boards.”

The full report is available on Heriot-Watt University Dubai’s website.