The alternative investment industry is witnessing an increase in the number of senior female employees at – 12.6%, compared with 11.7% last year but the trend is reverse for buyout firms worldwide.
Data from London research firm Preqin shows that the percentage of senior female employees at infrastructure, real estate and venture capital firms worldwide rose in the year ended March 2. Real estate firms were the biggest gainers in senior female employees at 11.9% from 9.7%. Venture capital was second at 11.3% from 10.8%, while infrastructure inched up to 11.5% from 11.2%.
Prequin’s data showed a reverse pattern in buyout firms where the percentage of female senior employees slid to 7.3% from 7.5% keeping in with continuing decline from 9% in 2014 and 8.7% in 2013.
According to data from research firm PitchBook Inc., in the U.S., private equity firms overall have gained senior-level female executives, to 11% as of March 8, compared with 9.9% in March 201.
Adley Bowden, vice president of analysis at PitchBook, Seattle said, “I think what you have are more women moving into finance in junior levels”.
As of March 8, the percentage of senior-level female executives was 16% in venture capital. Although PitchBook does not have 2015 data, its executives expect the percentage of female venture capital executives to grow, possibly more than private equity overall.
Mr. Bowden said, “There is more effort by venture capital firms to bring in more female talent”.
