CSO reports Irish firms boost female leadership across senior ranks

Female representation in Irish corporate leadership has grown steadily, with women now accounting for 32.3% of senior executives, up from 30.4% in 2023, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The Gender Balance in Business Survey 2025, covering almost 900 enterprises, shows progress across key leadership roles. The share of women on boards rose from 24.6% to 27.9%, while female CFOs increased to 27.7% from 25.7%. Female CEOs also saw a modest uptick to 19.2%.

Notably, women made up 35.1% of new senior executive appointments, compared with 28.1% of those in their roles for five years or longer — suggesting gradual generational change in leadership demographics.

Internal promotions continue to drive representation, with 32.7% of internal appointments going to women, compared with 31.6% of external hires. The highest concentration of female executives was found in accommodation, food service, arts, and recreation sectors (41.9%), while construction remains the least balanced at 15.2%, albeit improving from 13.4%.

Acorn Life’s CFO and chief actuary Jennifer Loftus noted that while the figures show progress, “there is still much room for improvement.” She added that more women in decision-making roles not only promotes fairer workplaces but also contributes to better financial security later in life.

Explore the full findings and sector breakdown in the complete report here.