© 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
BP Finalises Deal to Develop Egypt’s West Nile Delta Gas Fields
Finance
09/03/2015BP Finalises Deal to Develop Egypt’s West Nile Delta Gas Fields

BP announces final agreements of the West Nile Delta project.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
CGF Bourse Inc.
Finance
23/04/2015CGF Bourse Inc.

CGF Bourse Inc. is an investment and brokerage firm created within the framework of the BRVM (West African regional stock exchange) of the WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union). We spoke to them about how they speed up access of African businesses t

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
DORA: Five Ways the Channel Can Prepare
Innovation
03/04/2024DORA: Five Ways the Channel Can Prepare

The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) will soon establish a universal framework for managing, reporting and outsourcing IT risk for the European Union (EU)’s financial sector. Looking to mitigate a recent rise in cyber attacks on the industry, the le

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Everything You Wanted To Know About Becoming An LLC
Legal
29/07/2022Everything You Wanted To Know About Becoming An LLC

In the 90s, limited liability companies (LLCs) rose in popularity as the newest business entity structure available in the United States. Budding companies enjoyed the liability protection provided by this formation style because it keeps personal assets separ

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Is It Worth Investing In Trademarks When Expanding Your Business Globally?
News
16/12/2022Is It Worth Investing In Trademarks When Expanding Your Business Globally?

Most business owners want to ensure that their products resonate with their local consumers before expanding globally. If your product or service has become a success and you know there is a market outside Canada, going global is a good idea. 

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Benefits of Using Workforce Management Software
Technology
20/04/2026Benefits of Using Workforce Management Software

Workforce management continues to evolve from being a mere strategy into an essential business function for organisations aiming for more productivity and efficiency. Implementing workforce management software helps ease processes, increase employee satisfacti

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Towers Watson Acquires  Saville Consulting
M&A
08/05/2015Towers Watson Acquires Saville Consulting

Acquisition expands Towers Watson’s leadership and talent management offering and strengthens its position as a leading Human Resources (HR) software provider.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
How Your IT Department Can Save On IT Costs
News
24/11/2021How Your IT Department Can Save On IT Costs

Businesses are often overwhelmed by IT costs since reliable technological infrastructure and its maintenance are expensive. And with the current pandemic crisis, companies have examined and replanned their budget to reduce, delay, or renegotiate for any potent

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Silver Bay Realty Trust Buys 2,373 Properties in USD 252.2m Deal
M&A
22/04/2015Silver Bay Realty Trust Buys 2,373 Properties in USD 252.2m Deal

US-based residential and commercial title and escrow services OS National, LLC served as the lead title agent for Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp's recent acquisition of a portfolio of 2300+ properties located in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina and So



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