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Oct 25, 2022

Female IR heads in Asia paid less than global average

But glass ceiling cracks as levels of female leadership record spike

Median salaries for IR heads and IROs in Asia are overall lower than elsewhere in the world, according to IR Magazine’s Women in IR 2022 report.

The report reveals that almost half (47 percent) of female IR heads surveyed in the region earn between $100,000 and $149,999 per year, compared with 31 percent in Europe and just 15 percent in North America.

The top salary range for female IR heads in Asia is just $200,000-$249,999, earned by just 13 percent, compared with almost a quarter (24 percent) in North America and more than a third (34 percent) in Europe earning this range.

Female IR heads in Asia paid less than global averageThe same discrepancy between Asia and the rest of the world can be seen in median salaries for both female and male IROs, with the survey finding that 64 percent of IR professionals in the region earn less than $50,000. This is in stark contrast to North America, where no men or women in the profession earn less than $50,000, and Europe, where just 6 percent of female IROs bring home less than $50,000.

Big bonuses for men

But the report reveals an increasing number of female IR bosses in Asia, with 62 percent of department leaders being women. Beyond IR heads, the gender ratio for Asian IR teams also highlights a higher percentage of women in the role, at 54 percent, than the global average of 48 percent.

While salaries of both IR heads and IROs fall behind in Asia compared with other regions, the biggest difference between men and women in leadership roles is in bonuses. According to the Women in IR report, more than four in five male IR bosses in Asia received a bonus last year, averaging 54 percent of salary. This compares with just half of female IR heads receiving bonuses that averaged just 24 percent of salary.

IR Magazine’s Women in IR 2022 report is available to IR Advanced and IR Intel subscribers. Click here to read the report.

Or view sample here:

Click to read Sample: Women in IR 2022

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