The proportion of women in senior managing positions in enterprises operating in Vietnam ranked second in Asia at 36%, only behind the Philippines at 37.46%, according to Grant Thornton’s latest 2019 Women in business report. 

Several of the most powerful businesswomen in Vietnam. 

Singapore took the third place with 33.04%, followed by Indonesia with 31.85%, South Korea with 29.89% and India with 28.16%. 

According to the survey, the top four senior positions held by women in Vietnam normally are Chief finance officer (CFO) with 36%, Chief executive officer (30%), Human resources director, and Sale director (25%). 

Nguyen Thi Vinh Ha, Grant Thornton’s head of Advisory Services, said Vietnam’s second ranking in Asia is hardly a surprise, given the important role of Vietnamese women in the economy. 

In a broader perspective, Vietnam currently has a series of female leaders holding major influence in the society, Ha added.

However, the report also pointed to some challenges to female leaders in Vietnam, including the lack of opportunity for job progression, opportunity to establish working relation, and family responsibility. 

Globally, the proportion of businesses with at least one woman in senior managing position in 2019 reached 87%, up 12% year-on-year, and proportion of senior roles held by women 29%, up 10% against 2004, while half of the 10% increase has just been achieved over the last 12 months. 

In spite of the growing presence of women in senior managing positions in the world, the rate of leadership roles, especially the CEO/managing director position, remained male-dominated as only 15% is held by women. 

In the latest list of the 50 most influential women in Vietnam in 2019 recently released by business magazine Forbes Vietnam, the business sector remained the largest contributor when having 20 names in the list compared to last year’s version.

“A similar trait among these influential women is their fearless spirit and insistence, which help them achieve successes in their respective fields and creating new value for a modern woman,” said Vo Quoc Khanh, managing editor of Forbes Vietnam. 

Hanoitimes