If women are equally ambitious, why do so few reach the top in India Inc?

If women are equally ambitious, why do so few reach the top in India Inc?

A new study by Aon plc finds that women in corporate India demonstrate ambition comparable to men, yet remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles due to limited access to revenue-generating positions and structural career barriers.

The study, titled Gender and Leadership at India Inc., suggests that the persistent gender gap in senior leadership across corporate India is rooted less in individual aspirations and more in systemic choices, such as who gets access to the most powerful roles, who is trusted with revenue responsibility, and who is allowed to build influence within the corporate hierarchy.

Drawing on responses from 1,500 leaders across more than 30 Indian cities, including over 400 women, the report raises an uncomfortable question for the country's boardrooms: if women want leadership as much as men do, why do they reach it far less often?

Ambition is not the problem, structure might be

For decades, the narrative around women's leadership has often been framed around confidence, risk-taking, or career choices. However, the Aon study challenges that assumption.

The data indicate that women and men report comparable levels of ambition and share similar career motivations, purpose, growth opportunities, and leadership culture. Yet the trajectories diverge dramatically over time.

According to the study, men aged 50 and above in leadership positions were far more likely to have built their careers within a single organisation, benefiting from structured career pathways, predictable promotion systems, and consistent access to high-impact assignments.

Women's journeys look markedly different

By the age of 50, only 20 percent of women had advanced within the same organisation, compared with 49 percent of men, the report found. Instead, women were more likely to move between companies in search of opportunity. On average, women recorded 4.13 career transitions compared with 3.17 among men.

What does this reveal about corporate systems?

If men can rise within institutions while women must often leave them to progress, the question becomes unavoidable: are leadership pipelines designed to favour continuity for some and reinvention for others?

The leadership roles women rarely receive

The research highlights another structural imbalance, access to revenue-generating positions. Women are less likely to be entrusted with revenue responsibility, which is a key factor in career advancement.

The study suggests that women are often relegated to support roles, such as HR or communications, rather than being given the opportunity to lead revenue-generating teams.

This raises important questions about the design of leadership pipelines and the opportunities available to women in corporate India.

Importance for Students

This study highlights the importance of creating inclusive and equitable leadership pipelines that provide opportunities for women to advance in their careers. It also underscores the need for organisations to address structural barriers and biases that prevent women from reaching senior leadership roles.

By understanding the systemic challenges that women face in corporate India, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and diverse leadership landscape that benefits everyone.