© 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
First Steps to Take when Doing Company Acquisition
M&A
17/10/2022First Steps to Take when Doing Company Acquisition

Many people want to have a business they can call their own. However, building one from scratch is not easy. Because of this, many entrepreneurs are choosing to buy an existing business. But buying an existing business is not as easy as buying a used car. You

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Accessibility in Artificial Intelligence
Innovation
08/08/2022Accessibility in Artificial Intelligence

Founded by exemplary microcomputer specialist and businessman Mauricio Frizzarin, Qyon has made a name for itself as the ‘Most Innovative AI Software Company’ for 2022 in Brazil.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
4 Top Tips for Startup Funding
Finance
06/04/20224 Top Tips for Startup Funding

Starting a business comes with a range of challenges and obstacles and it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. Here we share our 4 top tips on how to get started when seeking startup funding.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Magento Open Source Vs. Adobe Commerce: Understanding the Differences
Innovation
30/10/2023Magento Open Source Vs. Adobe Commerce: Understanding the Differences

Magento is a popular platform for creating and managing ecommerce websites. According to BuiltWith, it’s the third most used Magento O among the top 100,000 sites.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Unlocking The Potential
Innovation
04/03/2021Unlocking The Potential

Operating in UK, India and the Netherlands, SNAK is on a mission to unlock potential and deliver results to each and every one of its clients. Working with a vast range of clients, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, SNAK’s award-winning work they deliv

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
EBRD to Acquire a Stake of Around 20% Equity Stake in Ameriabank
Finance
21/01/2016EBRD to Acquire a Stake of Around 20% Equity Stake in Ameriabank

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is investing US$ 40 million in the acquisition of an equity stake in Ameriabank CJSC. This is the largest single-ticket equity deal the EBRD has signed in the region to date.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
The 10 Best HR Consulting Solutions in Today’s Major Cities
Leadership
28/08/2025The 10 Best HR Consulting Solutions in Today’s Major Cities

Human resources (HR) consulting has become one of the most strategic investments a business can make. Beyond hiring and compliance, today’s companies that provide HR consulting solutions are vital in shaping workplace culture, improving employee engageme

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Where Next for Euro Government Bonds?
Finance
20/02/2015Where Next for Euro Government Bonds?

The ECB published its first-ever minutes of a policy meeting, revealing plans to expand its Quantitative Easing (QE) programme.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Ruling Over the World’s Economies
Innovation
06/11/2015Ruling Over the World’s Economies

Developing economies quickened the pace of their business reforms during the last 12 months to make it easier for local businesses to start and operate, says the World Bank Group’s annual ease of doing business measurement.



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