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Rise of Women Leaders Strengthens Hong Kong’s Financial and Professional Sectors

Prime Highlights

  • Hong Kong is seeing a surge in women leaders across finance and professional fields, a shift expected to boost the city’s talent pool and long-term economic growth.
  • At the first Women Chief Executives Summit, officials and executives emphasized how gender-diverse leadership drives adaptability, creativity, and success.

Key Facts

  • Women now hold 45% of senior leadership roles in Hong Kong’s financial sector, an 11% increase since 2018, according to KPMG.
  • Fewer than 10 listed firms in Hong Kong have all-male boards, down sharply from over 800 in 2022, reflecting major progress in gender diversity.

Background

Hong Kong is witnessing a rise in women leaders across the finance and professional sectors, a development expected to strengthen the city’s talent base and economic growth. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po highlighted the trend while addressing the first Women Chief Executives Summit held on Monday.

Chan said organizations with gender-diverse leadership are more adaptable, creative, and successful in the long term. “Now, more than half of our solicitors and professional accountants are women, a big leap from just 30% two decades ago,” he noted. Nearly 60% of business and management students in Hong Kong’s universities are also women, reflecting a strong pipeline of future leaders.

The summit, attended by over 200 top female executives, took place at the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) Connect Hall. HKEX CEO Bonnie Chan Yiting, the first woman to hold the position, joined other prominent speakers, including Standard Chartered Hong Kong CEO Mary Huen Wai-yi and UBS co-head of wealth management Asia-Pacific Amy Lo Choi-wan.

According to a recent KPMG report, women now hold 45% of senior leadership roles in the city’s financial sector, marking an 11% rise since 2018. Chan said this progress demonstrates Hong Kong’s growing support for women leaders, adding that the government’s “She Inspires” mentorship program will expand to 120 mentees next year.

HKEX data shows that fewer than 10 listed firms now have all-male boards, a sharp decline from over 800 in 2022. The Women Chief Executive Network, which includes 60 female CEOs and top executives, aims to make Hong Kong a global model for gender diversity in finance.

“Collaboration is our strength,” said Huen. “We rise together because we believe in the power of shared leadership.”

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