SINGAPORE – More women now hold directorship roles at work, showing a trend of Singapore boards increasing their diversity, according to a study from the Council for Board Diversity (CBD) released on May 8.
The CBD released its annual board diversity statistics, covering more than 1,300 organisations across Singapore-listed companies, statutory boards and Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs).
IPC is a status accorded to a registered charity or an exempt charity for a period of time.
According to the study, which took place from November 2025 to March 2026, women now hold 36.1 per cent of board seats in the public sector, 35.6 per cent in IPCs and 25.8 per cent in the listed sector, with an 18 percentage point increase in board seats since 2013, when CBD started tracking board composition as a long-term indicator of board of diversity progress.
The study was jointly undertaken with leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder. It surveyed 170 company directors.
Notably, the proportion of women board chairs among the Top 100 SGX primary-listed companies rose to 10 per cent in 2025 from 8 per cent the previous year.
“This signals meaningful progress beyond representation as more women take on leadership roles that shape board agenda, decision-making and governance outcomes,” said CBD on May 8.
The aim is to reach 30 per cent women directors by 2030, it added.
It also emphasised moving beyond compliance to true inclusion and strategic benefits of diversity.
While increasing diverse representation on boards is important, the study also highlighted the importance of working towards true conviction in the benefits of diversity rather than just complying with industry standards, said CBD.
The study reveals high consensus among Singapore directors on the fundamental value of diversity, with 89 per cent of respondents agreeing that varied perspectives lead to more insightful board discussions, on par with the 90 per cent global average.
However, the difference lies in the intensity of this belief – 67 per cent of directors globally strongly agree with this view, compared with 40 per cent of Singapore respondents.
This indicates that while diversity is widely accepted, the next phase of boardroom evolution in Singapore is building true conviction.
“Beyond the headline numbers, what is encouraging is the breadth of new talent entering boardrooms. Intentional succession planning for board renewal is critical. As organisations confront increasingly complex challenges, a wider, more diverse pool of board-ready candidates strengthens outcomes for the future,” said Mr Gan Seow Kee, co-chair of the CBD and chairman of Singapore LNG Corporation.
