Around the world, the share of women hired into leadership positions has stalled or even declined. Yet one market is breaking this pattern with conviction: the United Arab Emirates. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 analysis, based on LinkedIn hiring data, the UAE recorded a 4.5% annual increase in women appointed to leadership roles, outpacing global peers and bucking the broader slowdown.
This surge is not a one-off anomaly. Over the past year, the country rose from 74th to 69th in the global gender parity rankings while maintaining its top position in the MENA region. The overall rate of female hiring grew by 2% annually and the UAE also achieved equal parliamentary representation, signal achievements that reflect systemic change rather than isolated headlines. In fact, the nation’s trajectory “contrasts sharply with global declines”, highlighting a structural shift in how organisations attract, select and advance female leadership talent.
Three forces stand out:
The data reveals another competitive edge: women leaders in the UAE are particularly well-prepared for the future of work. Compared with their male counterparts, they exhibit broader experience profiles, a stronger focus on continuous learning and greater confidence in adopting AI tools.
This combination; breadth of experience, active upskilling and rapid adaptability, positions them to lead AI-enabled transformations with both analytical rigour and human-centred empathy. As artificial intelligence reshapes workflows, product strategies and operating models, leaders who learn quickly and apply emerging tools effectively will define competitive advantage. The WEF report is unambiguous: women leaders in the UAE are “particularly well-prepared for evolving job market demands and technological transformation”, placing them at the forefront of this global workforce shift.
At James Douglas Middle East, leadership hiring is tailored for this exact moment. The firm blends rigorous professional search with advanced assessment tools; including psychometrics, structured interviewing and AI-driven automation, to deliver both speed and certainty. With offices across the Middle East and Asia, JDME specialises in aligning candidate aspirations with organisational mandates, so you don’t simply fill a role, you strengthen long-term capability.
The UAE has created the right conditions. Its female talent pool is responding. And the numbers are moving in the right direction. For employers, the opportunity lies in operationalising this momentum; by redefining what “great” leadership looks like, by demanding balanced shortlists and by selecting for leaders who combine judgement, adaptability and fluency in new technologies. That is how organisations can translate a national trend into their own competitive edge.
While many parts of the world face stagnation, the UAE is charting a different course, one where women’s leadership accelerates, capability compounds and the future of work is forged faster. If you are ready to hire for that future, the time to engage with the market is now.