Female business leaders in the Middle East are decisively indicating that the future is theirs to influence. According to the latest KPMG regional survey, an impressive 78% of women in senior roles express confidence in their companies’ growth over the next three years. However, this optimism is tempered by a demand for clearer strategies regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.
The study, titled Middle East Female Leaders Outlook 2025: “A Call for Clarity,” reveals that while regional female executives are optimistic, they are also urging for more precise corporate planning on rapidly evolving issues. In the UAE, robust policy initiatives support this ambition, highlighting progress and remaining challenges.
In the UAE, multiple reports demonstrate how women are advancing in leadership. Government data indicates that women constitute about 70% of university graduates and 56% of STEM graduates at public universities.
In the private sector, a 2025 Grant Thornton UAE survey found that 71.4% of UAE businesses reported that clients and procurement teams requested gender-diversity data when assessing suppliers, and 40% of investors required clear evidence of gender diversity in senior leadership before investing.
Additionally, an audit by Oliver Wyman showed that two-thirds of women in the UAE advocated for promotion and 80% succeeded, yet only 57% felt comfortable speaking up in meetings, compared to 69% of men.
This context explains why women in the region are optimistic about growth: they perceive significant opportunities in rapidly evolving markets and corporate cultures. However, their confidence is cautious. The KPMG survey highlights that 60% of female business leaders in the Middle East say their organizations invest more in people than technology, underscoring the importance of human capital. Concurrently, 49% reported an increase in online harassment and digital abuse targeting female leaders in the past three years.
“Women leaders in the Middle East demonstrate that resilience and clarity go hand in hand,” stated KPMG Middle East partner and head of “Our Impact Plan,” Kholoud Moussa. “Their confidence in growth is evident, aligned with a call for better coherence between vision and execution within organizations. Our findings suggest that meaningful progress depends on how clearly companies prioritize AI, ESG, and investment in people and culture.”
Indeed, 74% of women believe gender equity in the C-suite would aid their organization’s growth targets, but only 36% support mandated quotas, favoring leadership programs, mentorship networks, and organizational flexibility.
In the UAE, female leaders are accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies and embedding ESG commitments into corporate DNA. A November 2024 KPMG report highlighted that women leaders in the UAE and Oman are spearheading AI adoption and sustainable practices across sectors like healthcare and IT. Another UAE-specific KPMG study indicated that 64% of UAE-based women leaders prioritize workforce skills and people development, compared to just 24% of their male counterparts.
Despite the optimism and progress, challenges remain. Nearly half of Middle Eastern respondents say their organizations’ AI strategies are unclear, and ESG efforts are not fully integrated. One in three are unsure if their firm will meet net-zero or decarbonization goals. The gap between ambition and strategy is a significant risk.
In the UAE, the private sector reflects this duality: While gender representation in leadership is increasing, women report barriers like lack of mentors (29%) and limited access to affordable childcare, more so than men, as hindrances to career progression. Rising investor focus on board diversity (nearly 40% consider female representation crucial for capital allocation) and a doubling of women on publicly listed boards in three years—from 47 to 141 seats—highlight both momentum and urgency.
From policy to practice, UAE national frameworks are strengthening women’s roles in decision-making. The UAE Gender Balance Council’s Strategy 2026 and the National Policy for Empowerment of Emirati Women 2031 provide a solid inclusion platform, resulting in a more diverse, agile, and strategically aware leadership ecosystem.
