© Copyright Acquisition International 2026 - All Rights Reserved.

Article Image - The UK Cities with the Most Female Leaders
Posted 16th October 2023

The UK Cities with the Most Female Leaders

A recent study, carried out by Instant Offices provides an in-depth look into the landscape of female leadership throughout the UK. The focus of this analysis spans various dimensions such as location, age, and industry sectors.

Mouse Scroll AnimationScroll to keep reading

Let us help promote your business to a wider following.

The UK Cities with the Most Female Leaders

Young business woman looking at the camera with her colleagues on the background

Manchester, Birmingham & Bristol in Top 10 UK Cities Championing the Surge in Female Leaders!    

  • The UK has witnessed a remarkable 150% surge in female leadership positions. 
  • London leads the way with 32,854 female leaders, followed distantly by Manchester at 3,269. 
  • Real estate emerges as the top industry for female leaders, showing a staggering 147% growth in female leadership since 2018-2019. 

A recent study, carried out by Instant Offices provides an in-depth look into the landscape of female leadership throughout the UK. The focus of this analysis spans various dimensions such as location, age, and industry sectors. The results not only spotlight the current scenario but also gauge the trajectory in the representation of female leadership. 

Instant Offices, as a pioneering entity in the flexible workspace solution sector, remains committed to facilitating businesses with updated data-driven insights. With its comprehensive analysis, Instant Offices aids businesses in navigating the ever-evolving workspace landscape. 

Cities Making Strides:

Leading the pack, London emerges as the paramount hub for female leaders, with a total count of 32,854. This count dwarfs the second-placed Manchester, which hosts 3,269 female leaders. A unique trend surfaces in London where a significant majority of leadership roles are held by the younger demographic aged 18-25. As we traverse the length and breadth of the UK, older demographics are more prevalent in leadership roles, signifying the capital’s distinctive appeal to younger leaders. 

Top 10 cities with the most female leaders

London 32,854
Manchester 3,269
Birmingham 2,516
Bristol 1,582
Leeds 1,548
Nottingham 1,539
Leicester 1,252
Liverpool 1,246
Cardiff 1,226
Sheffield 1,056

Age & Leadership:

The age distribution among female leaders paints a vivid picture. Women aged between 31 and 40 are leading the pack, holding the highest number of leadership positions. On the contrary, those between 18-25 hold fewer positions. It’s also noteworthy that a decline in leadership roles can be observed among women over 40 – a trend potentially influenced by women stepping back from the workforce in their later years.

Number of female leadership positions by age

18-25 4,240
25-30 13,072
31-40 26,615
41-50 20,676
50+ 17,411

Industries Pioneering Change:

Entrepreneurship emerges as a significant catalyst, propelling more women into leadership roles. The real estate industry champions this cause with a total of 19,984 positions held by women. This represents a breathtaking 147% increase from the numbers observed in the years 2018-2019. Furthermore, industries like retail & beauty and business support services have also showcased significant growth in female leadership, proving that a holistic shift towards inclusive leadership isn’t just a hope but a reality. 

Top 10 industries with the most female leaders

Letting/operating personal real estate 8736
Buying/selling of personal real estate 7872
Mail order & online retail 6765
Management or consultancy 6709
Business support services 4530
Other service activities 3951
Activities for holding companies 3487
Hairdressing and other beauty treatment 3167
Dormant Company 2997
Health & Wellbeing 2867

This comprehensive data not only highlights the current trends but also underscores a promising uptrend in the representation of female leadership across various industries and cities in the UK. With such encouraging statistics, the prospects for aspiring female leaders in the UK shine brighter than ever. 

Categories: Leadership, News


You Might Also Like
Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Gemfields Acquires  Montepuez Gem Licenses
M&A
02/04/2015Gemfields Acquires Montepuez Gem Licenses

We caught up with Ian Harebottle, CEO of Gemfields, to find out how his company’s acquisition of mining and exploration rights at Mozambique’s Montepuez ruby deposit is set to change the global ruby trade forever.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Pang & Co: Insight, Expertise, Dedication.
Finance
23/04/2015Pang & Co: Insight, Expertise, Dedication.

Based in Hong Kong, Pang & Co. focuses on capital market transactions and regulatory advice in Greater China, and IPOs in both the Main Board and the Growth Enterprise Market of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Most Innovative Virtual Learning Businesswoman 2022: Christine Janssen, PhD
News
12/07/2022Most Innovative Virtual Learning Businesswoman 2022: Christine Janssen, PhD

Acquisition International’s Influential Businesswoman Awards 2022 celebrates the brightest and best that organisations around the world have to offer. Few fit the bill more successfully than Christine Janssen. She has built a business that is perfectly suite

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Africa on the Rise
Legal
04/05/2016Africa on the Rise

Mrs. UWIMANA Gisèle is a holder of Master’s Degree in Law (LLM) and Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) and active collaborator of the Law Firm as she joined Rwanda Bar Association in 2011.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Boom Time for British Car Industry
Finance
31/03/2015Boom Time for British Car Industry

£1 Billion in New Investments Committed in Just One Week

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
What You Need to Know About Microsoft 365 Copilot, the Ultimate AI Assistant
Innovation
25/01/2024What You Need to Know About Microsoft 365 Copilot, the Ultimate AI Assistant

Microsoft 365 Copilot is the new AI powered solution from Microsoft, and it looks set to revolutionise the way we work. Microsoft have this week announced they are removing the 300-seat purchase minimum for commercial plans and making Microsoft 365 Copilot ava

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Business Budgeting: A Guide For Sole Traders
News
29/08/2023Business Budgeting: A Guide For Sole Traders

Business Budgeting: A Guide For Sole Traders Managing the budget for any business requires two things: conscientious spending habits and an eye for detail. And whilst larger companies may have more complicated financial records, it can be just as tricky managi

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
India’s Internet of Things (IoT) Market to Grow
Strategy
25/09/2015India’s Internet of Things (IoT) Market to Grow

According to a recently released TechSci Research report, “India Internet of Things (IoT) Market Opportunities & Forecast, 2020”, the IoT market in India is projected to grow at a CAGR more than 28% during 2015 - 2020.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Cressey & Company Invests in Dental Services Group
Finance
08/04/2015Cressey & Company Invests in Dental Services Group

Cressey & Company Invests in Dental Services Group



Our Trusted Brands

Acquisition International is a flagship brand of AI Global Media. AI Global Media is a B2B enterprise and are committed to creating engaging content allowing businesses to market their services to a larger global audience. We have a number of unique brands, each of which serves a specific industry or region. Each brand covers the latest news in its sector and publishes a digital magazine and newsletter which is read by a global audience.

Arrow