UAE leads GCC in women’s board representation for third year

Results of the "GCC Board Gender Index Report 2026" showed continued progress in women’s representation, reaching 7 percent of board positions across the GCC, compared to 6.9 percent in 2025, with the UAE ranking first at 15 percent.

Heriot-Watt University and Aurora50 released the third edition of this comprehensive study of women's representation on the boards of publicly listed companies in the GCC, reaffirming ongoing progress towards enhancing exclusivity in corporate leadership.

The report indicated that the number of companies covered reached 759 publicly listed companies across the GCC. Over the past year, the total number of board seats has increased from 5,668 to 5,755, representing a 1.5 per cent rise.

A total of 341 women now hold 403 board positions, up from 334 women and 390 seats in 2025. This reflects growth in both the number of women directors (2.1 percent) and board positions held (3.3 percent) across the GCC. Some women hold more than one directorship, indicating a broader increase in representation and participation at the board level.

Country-level results showed that the UAE continued to lead for the third consecutive year, with women holding 15 percent of board seats, equivalent to 191 out of 1,274 seats. Bahrain ranked second at 10.5 percent (36 of 342), followed by Oman at 7 percent (51 of 731), Kuwait at 5.6 percent (52 of 927), Qatar at 3.2 percent (15 of 467), and Saudi Arabia at 2.9 percent (58 of 2,014).

"Aurora50 is proud to partner for a third time with Heriot-Watt University Dubai on this authoritative GCC-wide benchmark that continues to deliver consistent tracking and provides transparent data in and for the region," said Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairperson of Diversity and Inclusion Agency Aurora50.

"It's particularly encouraging to see the UAE's progress in this space, with women's board representation in the nation growing from 3.5 percent to 15 percent since 2020. This is a true testament to the vision of the UAE's leadership in advancing gender equity in the workplace. Women in board positions bring broader perspectives, stronger governance, and significant organisational growth," she added.

Provost and Vice Principal of Heriot-Watt University Dubai, Professor Dame Heather McGregor, said, "The GCC Board Gender Index has, over time, become an important benchmark for understanding how boardrooms across the region are evolving. What stands out in this year's findings is not just the increase in representation but also the consistency of that progress, underpinned by a growing breadth of data and insights.”

The top three sectors in the UAE by number of board seats held by women are Financial services, with 86 of 564 positions; the Industrial sector, with 35 of 214; and Consumer Staples, with 15 of 94.

The GCC Board Gender Index, supported by Board Intelligence, AlixPartners and Grant Thornton, includes detailed data on board directors. Each company and director is uniquely identified to ensure accuracy and avoid duplication, particularly when companies are listed on multiple exchanges or directors serve on multiple boards.

WAM