Malaysia Has Least Senior Business Roles Held By Women In ASEAN

KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has the lowest proportion of senior business roles held by women in ASEAN, according to a latest report by Grant Thornton. The 2017 International Business Report (IBR), a survey conducted between October-December in 2016, revealed that only 24 per cent of senior business roles were held by women in Malaysia, down from 26 per cent recorded in the 2016 IBR. Meanwhile, 34 per cent of businesses here have no women in senior management, up from 31 per cent previously. The annual survey highlighted that Indonesia had the highest proportion of senior business roles held by women (46 per cent) followed by Philippines (40 per cent), Thailand (31 per cent) and Singapore (30 per cent). Grant Thornton Malaysia Country Managing Partner Datuk NK Jasani said while businesses across ASEAN have increased the proportion of senior roles held by women, Malaysia was still only half-way there. "This is a real concern for business growth as it suggests we are not maximising the potential out there. "Diversity will be key to their success and those that remain closed are putting themselves at risk of not tapping their full potential and losing access to diversity of thinking," he added. -- BERNAMA