The ‘GCC Board Gender Index Report 2025’, published by Heriot-Watt University and Aurora50, shows that as of January this year, women now occupy 6.8% of board seats across the GCC – a marked rise from 5.2% in 2024. This equates to 379 out of 5,535 seats across 729 listed companies in the region. 

Leading the charge is the UAE, where women now hold 14.8% of board roles (185 of 1,248 seats), up from 10.8% the previous year – a 37% year-on-year increase. The country’s strong performance has pushed it well ahead of its Gulf Neighbours, and it now sets the pace on boardroom gender diversity. 

Bahrain, meanwhile, has moved ahead of Oman to claim second place in the region, with women holding 8.5% of board positions (30 out of 353 seats). Oman with 6.6%, followed by Kuwait at 5.5%, Saudi Arabia at 2.9%, and Qatar at 2.8%. 

The growth in female representation marks a continued shift in boardroom dynamics and reflects increasing awareness among publicly listed companies of the importance of diverse leadership. 

Aurora50, which has been instrumental in pushing for change since its launch in 2020, celebrated the report’s findings as a sign of the UAE’s commitment to gender parity. 

H.H. Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Director of Aurora50, said that “When Aurora50 launched in 2020 with its vision of gender parity on corporate boards, only 3.5 percent of UAE board seats were held by women. As we mark our fifth anniversary, it is promising to see that figure rise over fourfold (to 14.8 percent) and to almost 7 percent across the region, highlighting the impact of our collective efforts.” 

She also added that, “In line with the vision of the UAE’s leadership, Aurora50 is committed to paving clear paths for women to step into board positions, ensuring fundamentally diverse and balanced gender representation in our nation’s organisations. This dramatic shift in just five years reaffirms the UAE’s role as a global leader in gender balance.” 

Also commenting on the findings, Professor Dame Heather McGregor, Provost and Vice Principal of Heriot-Watt University Dubai, noted the importance of tracking progress: “Since moving to the UAE in 2022, I have continued my work in research into gender balance on public company boards, with a focus on the GCC region. The progress we are seeing is promising; the year-on-year increase in women’s board representation signals real momentum. Although there is a lot of work to be done, the UAE has shown significant progress, which is a key step towards gender parity on boards.” 

The figures come at a time when gender equality is gaining more attention at the highest levels of government. During the World Governments Summit 2025, Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, described the country’s advancements as the product of deliberate and strategic planning. 

“These achievements did not happen by chance but through a well-defined vision,” she said. Al Marri also highlighted that women currently make up a third of the UAE’s ministerial cabinet, hold half of the seats in the Federal National Council, and account for 57% of STEM graduates — one of the world’s highest rates. Furthermore, women represent 46% of the workforce in the UAE’s government sector. 

The new data shows that while there’s still much ground to cover, the region is heading in the right direction. With policy backing, sustained initiatives, and growing private-sector support, the foundations for gender-balanced boardrooms are becoming increasingly firm across the GCC.