Economic and Geopolitical Uncertainties Shift Priorities of Top Female Managers

• AI in Focus: Managers are prioritizing AI, while HR and ESG topics are being deprioritized.
• Success Factors: Hard work and personal ambitions are gaining importance.
• Networking: Two-thirds of respondents see personal networks as a crucial career factor, with 81% increasingly using social networks.
• Optimism Despite Crises: 90% expect rising revenues and employee numbers.

In an economically and geopolitically tense environment, the priorities of female top managers are shifting. By 2025, they are placing greater emphasis on technology than on HR: 56% of surveyed managers prioritize investments in technology, while only 44% focus on HR initiatives—a reversal of the 2023 figures when 74% prioritized HR and only 26% focused on technology. Managers see AI as a tool to automate processes, reduce costs, and enhance competitiveness and resilience. Meanwhile, training and employee retention have become secondary concerns. These findings come from this year’s 'Global Female Leaders Outlook', based on a KPMG survey of nearly 500 senior female executives across 47 countries.

This shift in priorities is driven by economic challenges and growing concerns over geopolitical tensions and regulatory burdens which executives identify as the most pressing risks. To ensure corporate resilience in this volatile period, a clear majority (84%) consider agility and adaptability essential.

At the same time, HR and environmental risks play a weaker role in strategic risk management, despite their long-term relevance. 28% of respondents indicate that other business risks are currently more pressing. There is still a need for improvement in gender equality within organizations: only 53% of managers confirm that their company has clear data on equal pay. Two-thirds of respondents have experienced bias or discrimination in the workplace in the past three years—a high figure that has remained largely unchanged, indicating an ongoing and concerning trend.

Female leaders' self-perception is also undergoing notable changes: "hard work" (now ranked first, increased by 77% compared to 2023) and "personal ambitions" (now ranked fifth, increased by 58% compared to 2023) have gained priority as important success factors for many managers. Traits like "strategic thinking" and "communication" remain relevant but are no longer the sole focus. To lead successfully in challenging times, top managers also rely on factors such as "more effort" and "performance."

Career patterns are evolving as well. Fewer women plan to change companies for their next career step; instead, internal development is becoming increasingly important. Two-thirds of respondents also consider a strong personal network a key career success factor—a value that is continuously increasing. 81% are increasingly relying on social media, mainly for professional purposes—to build and maintain valuable contacts.

Despite all uncertainties, economic expectations remain stable. Nine in ten surveyed executives anticipate revenue growth over the next three years. The majority also anticipate continued growth in employment. They are noticeably more optimistic about their own companies and industries than about the global economy, which many still assess with caution.

This gap indicates that many companies are driving their development more independently of external influences—driven by technological change, organizational resilience, and a modern leadership mindset.

Katrin Häbel
KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

T +49 69 9587 4228
khaebel@kpmg.com