Breaking the glass ceiling: More women filling top roles
But more can be done to push up the numbers, say some industry experts
More women have made it to the top in companies that used to be chaired by men, but while welcoming this trend, industry experts believe progress on breaking the glass ceiling has been slow.
In April, Ms Helen Wong, 59, will take over as chief executive of OCBC Bank, becoming the first woman to head a major financial institution here.
Last month, ExxonMobil Asia-Pacific named Ms Geraldine Chin, 55, as chairman and managing director, making her the first woman to make it to the top in the company.
Ms Nicole Tan, 45, also made history when she became the first female president and CEO of Shiseido Asia-Pacific in October last year.
A study last year by business consultancy Grant Thornton showed that the percentage of women in senior management in Singapore was slightly higher than in 2019.
Compared with the previous year, there were 2 per cent more females in CEO positions, 4 per cent more in chief operating officer positions, and 9 per cent more as chief financial officers.
Some industry experts feel the numbers could be higher.
Ms Alicia Yi from management consultancy firm Korn Ferry said more organisations need to "reflect on their own corporate culture - which is traditionally created and upheld by a more male-dominated culture".
"This could mean creating more opportunities for women who initially may not appear as ambitious to move up the ladder, or providing more work-life balance so they don't have to completely give up their family responsibilities to progress in their career," said Ms Yi, who is senior client partner and vice-chairman of global consumer market.
Some women in leadership positions told The Straits Times they never felt gender was an issue in career development.
Ms Evelyn Tay, 45, vice-president of communications and public affairs for Asia-Pacific at Foodpanda, said: "I don't see myself as a 'female' leader - I see myself simply as a leader, as a resource for my team or colleagues - gender doesn't dictate how I do my job."
BEYOND GENDER DIVERSITY
Ms Tay, who started her career in Silicon Valley in California two decades ago, added: "You were hired to do a job because you're good at it. Coming back to Singapore was no different."
She feels firms should look beyond gender diversity, as diversity in backgrounds, experiences and perspectives are just as important.
About 25 per cent of Foodpanda employees in Singapore in management are women.
At OCBC, one in four of its management committee members is a woman, and about two in five of its leadership positions are filled by women, said the bank's spokesman.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
