Women in the Gulf are now better educated, more ambitious, and more involved in the economy. Their numbers are rising in government, business, and society. Still, this progress has not brought equal boardroom representation. Women hold just 6.8% of board seats in publicly listed companies across the GCC, indicating a significant gap at the top levels of leadership. 

However, that gap is starting to close as governments in the region work to boost female inclusion, with regulatory reforms and national strategies reshaping the leadership pipeline. In the UAE, a mandate introduced in January 2025 requires all private joint-stock companies to appoint at least one woman on their boards. This has already raised female representation to 14.8%.

In Saudi Arabia, the transformation has been even more pronounced. Under Vision 2030, female workforce participation has surged from 17% in 2017 to more than 35% by 2024. In parallel, women’s presence in middle and senior management roles has expanded significantly, reaching 44% in some sectors.

POLICY-DRIVEN PROGRESS

According to Basma Bushnak, Education & Skills Partner and Middle East Inclusivity & Diversity Lead at PwC Middle East, new policies are changing how private companies include women.

Vision 2030 has been a key catalyst for change in Saudi Arabia, she says. “Rather than driving symbolic appointments, these policies have encouraged organizations to adopt a more systematic and long-term approach to leadership development.”

Bushnak also adds that at PwC, these policies have helped the company focus on building a strong group of national female leaders.

“The emphasis has been on readiness and sustainability—ensuring that women are not only appointed, but also supported through broader exposure to strategy, risk, and decision-making roles that are critical in the local context,” she says.

Naomi Miles, Vice President of Human Resources at AtkinsRéalis Middle East, said these mandates have supported the company’s existing direction. “They have strengthened our efforts to build leadership structures that reflect both our workforce and the region we operate in,” she says. She also notes that the mandates have sped up conversations about representation beyond the boardroom.

In the last five years, Miles says the company has made steady progress. Women now make up 23% of its GCC workforce, up from 17% in 2020. The share of women in senior roles has almost doubled, rising from 8% to 15%. “The mandates have not changed our intent, but they have added momentum and accountability to accelerate progress at the most senior levels.”

Emphasizing that the new female board representation policies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia have influenced how organizations approach leadership composition, Reim El Houni, Executive Producer and CEO of Ti22 Films, says, “At our organization, progress has been more organic, largely reflecting the nature of our industry.”

However, she adds, “these policies have prompted us to formalize and broaden our perspectives, ensuring they are embedded within our overall HR approach.”

El Houni also says that while regulatory mandates are an important catalyst, lasting change depends on organizational culture. “It requires a willingness to go beyond minimum targets and embed diversity into a broader leadership strategy.”

Pointing out a bigger shift in the workforce, she says, “Women today are more visible, more confident, and more determined to make an impact—and to be recognized for it.”

REPRESENTATION VS PARTICIPATION

Although more women are now on boards, there are still concerns about whether this translates into real influence or merely a symbolic presence.

Bushnak says effective participation is defined by influence, not representation. “In the Saudi boardroom context, this means women are actively shaping strategy, contributing to key decisions, and participating in core committees such as audit, risk, and governance.”

Representation targets are only a first step, becoming meaningful when boardroom culture enables open dialogue, constructive challenge, and shared accountability, she adds. “True participation is evident when women are recognized as active contributors, not representatives of a specific agenda.”

Truly implementing gender diversity leads to more balanced leadership, wider views on sustainability and long-term growth, and better alignment with ESG and national priorities, Bushnak says.

Echoing this view, Miles states that while targets improve visibility, impact depends on influence. “It becomes evident when board culture supports open challenge, ensures equal access to information, and positions women within committees that shape strategy, risk, and governance,” she says.

Meaningful participation should be assessed by the extent to which women are empowered to influence strategic decisions, El Houni says. While targets can encourage greater inclusion, they do not guarantee impact, she adds. “Appointments must be based on expertise and value, not solely to meet quotas.” 

To evaluate participation, El Houni says it is important to examine roles such as independent vs executive positions, committee involvement, and access to decision-making processes. This, she adds, depends on a strong boardroom culture based on equality and transparency.

She also points out that when diversity is truly embedded, organizations benefit from more balanced decision-making, stronger governance, greater focus on risk and reputation, and more inclusive workplace policies. Visible female leadership can encourage more women to aim for senior roles.

CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME

There are challenges female board members face even after reaching decision-making roles. Bushnak says women often have to keep proving their credibility, have limited access to informal networks that are usually male-dominated, and must balance old ideas about leadership with new governance expectations.

“There can also be a tendency to seek women’s input primarily on people or culture topics, rather than fully leveraging their expertise across strategy, finance, and risk,” she says. “Addressing these challenges requires a conscious effort from boards to move beyond inclusion towards genuine empowerment, supported by senior leadership.”

Similarly, El Houni says the issue is not just about being appointed, but also about whether women feel free to share their own views without pressure or intimidation.

Female directors, she adds, are often excluded from informal networks and decision-making channels, particularly in environments where relationship-building has historically taken place in male-dominated settings.

“There can also be a tendency for women to be steered towards governance or corporate social responsibility roles, rather than being entrusted with oversight of core strategic and operational functions,” she says.

ADDITIONAL STEPS

Looking ahead, experts suggest several steps to ensure boardroom diversity translates into real influence and long-term leadership opportunities for women. Bushnak emphasizes the need to build leadership pipelines early in women’s careers, giving them experience in operational and commercial roles, and to update board selection criteria to reflect changing economic needs and diverse career paths.

Fostering inclusive board dynamics through strong leadership, investing in sponsorship programs that actively advocate for women in succession decisions, and measuring progress based on influence and outcomes rather than representation alone are also important.
“From PwC’s perspective, diversity is most effective when embedded into governance, leadership culture, and national transformation agendas. When done well, it strengthens institutions and supports long-term economic resilience in the GCC,” adds Bushnak.

According to Miles, organizations need to create systems that value diverse perspectives and help women not only join boards but also shape long-term strategy. Building leadership pipelines early and investing in hiring, promotion, and sponsorship are crucial. “Mentorship builds confidence, but sponsorship ensures women are actively advocated for in succession discussions,” she says, adding that this, along with inclusive governance, helps turn representation into real impact.

Closing the gap between representation and influence needs structural changes, says El Houni. She adds that regulators should go beyond just setting numbers and include measures such as committee participation, tenure, and progress toward leadership roles.

Formalizing nomination processes to include a wider range of talent, such as women with operational and sector-specific experience, rather than relying solely on existing networks, is important. El Houni adds that greater transparency, such as reporting on board composition and committee activity by gender, would improve accountability and help stakeholders assess how effective diversity efforts are.

Finally, she says boardroom diversity should be linked to the wider leadership pipeline, ensuring women are prepared for executive and senior management roles that can lead to future board appointments.