New Grant Thornton research highlights strong representation in senior roles, while signalling the need for greater visibility and intentional leadership development.
Job candidates in Botswana’s mid‑market are no longer focused solely on remuneration. Increasingly, they are asking about gender equality initiatives and the composition of senior leadership teams before accepting employment offers - reflecting a broader shift in how talent evaluates organisational culture, leadership credibility and long‑term opportunity. This mirrors findings from Grant Thornton’s International Business Report (IBR) on Women in Business 2026.
According to Grant Thornton’s research, women hold 35.8% of senior management positions in Botswana, outperforming both the African average of 34.4% and the global average of 32.9%. However, 12.0% of Botswana businesses still operate with no women in senior management, compared to 15.5% across Africa and 5.7% globally. While Botswana performs better than the African average, the comparison with global peers highlights a continued opportunity to accelerate progress and reduce all‑male leadership teams as progress is not linear and requires sustained focus to protect and build on gains.
Sakshi Shukla, Associate Director, Grant Thornton, says “Many organisations genuinely intend to advance gender equality, but intent on its own is not enough. Real progress comes from the policies we design, the actions we take, and the culture we reinforce every day. If we want to see more women progress into strategic leadership roles, then mentorship, progress pathways and leadership visibility must be inherent in how we develop women leaders.”
In Botswana and globally, women are well represented in functional senior leadership roles such as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Representation is, however, low in the Information Technology space. Encouragingly, Botswana’s regulatory environment is beginning to support progression in this area. The introduction of the Data Protection Act has elevated data governance, cyber security and compliance to board‑ and executive‑level priorities, creating new leadership pathways for women to step into roles such as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Interestingly, Botswana’s representation of women in Chief Executive Officer (CEO) roles is higher than the African and global average, highlighting investment in ensuring that women who progress into senior functional roles are also supported to advance into strategic and executive decision‑making positions.
Olebile Makhupe, CEO, Bank Gaborone, says “Seeing stronger representation of women in Chief Executive Officer and executive leadership roles reflects progress in how organisations develop and trust leadership talent. From a policy perspective, this matters because diverse leadership strengthens governance, supports better decision‑making and enhances long‑term competitiveness. Sustaining this progress requires intentional investment in leadership pipelines that prepare women to step into the most senior roles.”
In Botswana, 64.0% of mid‑market leaders say they consider a company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives when applying for a role. While this places Botswana below both African (82.5%) and global (93%) benchmarks, the country’s strong representation of women in senior management suggests that progress has been achieved structurally - but that intentional prioritisation and visibility of gender equality can still be strengthened. Grant Thornton’s research also shows that 23.0% of mid‑market businesses report that potential hires have asked about the gender balance of senior leadership teams or evidence of a commitment to improving gender diversity during recruitment, representing a 14.3% year‑on‑year increase.
Botswana’s data points towards an emerging shift from intent to action. While 52% of businesses had no DE&I initiatives in place, majority are planning on implementing the same in the next 12 months. Furthermore, 28.0% of Botswana mid‑market businesses reported having reviewed their DE&I initiatives, majority of which cited the global changing conversation around DE&I as a key driver - signalling growing recognition that inclusion is a strategic consideration linked to competitiveness, leadership capability and long‑term sustainability. This shift is also reflected in how development partners view the role of inclusive leadership in building resilient institutions and sustainable economies.
Lovita Ramguttee, Resident Representative, UNDP in Botswana, says "Women’s leadership is fundamental to building resilient societies and inclusive economies. When women are able to advance into decision-making roles and lead in environments grounded in dignity, safety and opportunity, the benefits extend far beyond individual organisations. They strengthen institutions, expand economic opportunity and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals - particularly those on gender equality, decent work and inclusive governance."
To help the mid‑market achieve sustainable gender parity and stronger performance, Grant Thornton’s Women in Business 2026 report recommends that businesses and their leaders:
Ultimately, investing in gender equality is not a values‑based gesture — it is a business decision. Botswana’s mid‑market stands to gain by sustaining progress, strengthening leadership visibility and expanding pathways into the most senior roles.
