THE SEARCH to discover Ireland’s most powerful women has been launched by Women’s Executive Network, the Irish branch of the networking organisation.
Some 25 women will be honoured at a ceremony in June where awards will be presented to recognise Irish women across five categories: corporate executives, public sector leaders, entrepreneurs, trailblazers and arts and culture.
Company turnover, size of team, achievements, responsibility and influence on respective sectors will be among the criteria used to select the winners.
The launch of the awards, which coincides with International Women’s Day, comes as a report from Grant Thornton reveals that Ireland is ahead of most of its European counterparts in appointing women to top business positions.
According to the Grant Thornton International Business Report 2012, Ireland ranked third in Europe and ninth globally in terms of the number of women in senior financial positions.
The report found that 21 per cent of chief financial officers in Irish businesses are women. However, only 5 per cent of chief executives are female, leaving Ireland last in Europe and 35th globally.
Overall, 21 per cent of senior management roles are held by women in Ireland, in line with the global average.
Russia has the highest rate of women in top management positions at 46 per cent, while Japan has the lowest, at 5 per cent.
The report highlighted the fact that only one in five women held top positions, despite male and female graduates being recruited in almost equal numbers. The percentage of women in senior management roles had barely changed since 2004, the report also noted.
