Unveiling gender disparities in corporate board career paths using deep learning

Zhou, Yuhao, Wenhao Chen, María Óskarsdóttir, Matt Davison, and Cristián Bravo. 2026. ‘Unveiling Gender Disparities in Corporate Board Career Paths Using Deep Learning’. Patterns 7(4). doi:10.1016/j.patter.2026.101495.

Gender gaps in corporate boardrooms are shaped not only by hiring decisions but also by the structure of professional networks. Using 23 years of career histories and network data on thousands of executives, we show in this study that women must hold broader and more central positions than men to reach similar board roles. Connections to other female leaders are especially important. These findings illustrate how everyday networking practices can help reduce or reinforce inequality in corporate leadership.