Portugal is the country in Europe with the fewest women in bank management, according to an analysis by DBRS. Portuguese banks have only 23% of managers in top positions in banking, the lowest rate among European peers.

The agency says that “there is still work to be done” to find a better gender balance in the administrations of banks in Europe. But this is especially true for Portugal, which is at the bottom of the table.

“Gender diversity remains a challenge for the banking industry. (…) In 2021, on average, using a sample of 43 European banks, women represent only 37% of the seats on the boards of directors, a number that drops to 26% if we consider women in the executive management teams” adds DBRS.

The agency's data show a positive evolution, but there is still a long way to go: in 2014, the average number of women on banking boards was 22%, rising to 32% in 2019 and 35% in 2020.