Women, wealth and leadership

Women now own an estimated USD 60 trillion in assets globally and, by 2030, are expected to control 40%–45% of retail financial assets across the United States and Europe. Alongside the marked growth in female wealth generators, a significant amount of that wealth sits within families, prompting a rethink of governance and planning so they better reflect who will lead, decide and manage. 

As women increasingly govern, grow and transfer wealth, advisers can add real value by reflecting how they approach risk, values, succession and legacy in practice. Below are some of the areas in which we see that momentum most clearly among our clients. 

The growing influence of women in family businesses  

In family businesses, more women are stepping into leadership roles, whether day to day or strategically over the long term. Around 18% of family businesses are now led by women, with the highest representation in Europe and Central Asia, as well as Canada, according to KPMG research on generational change in family enterprise. Beyond a shift in succession norms, this reflects a growing recognition that women often bring a long-term, values-led lens to strategy, ownership and continuity. 

Research also links female leadership in family firms with stronger prospects of surviving beyond the founder generation, with diplomacy and disciplined risk management helping to preserve cohesion over time. 

In practice, we see rising demand for family governance advice and for stress-testing structures, so they work under pressure, with female clients often leading this work. Strong family governance can strengthen decision-making, reduce friction and support continuity in an increasingly complex world. 

For women in family businesses, whether as shareholders or executives, legal advice can shape outcomes at the moments that matter most. We see this clearly in practice. Shareholding structures that do not reflect a woman’s real role can leave her exposed at transition. Trusts drafted around outdated assumptions can conflict with modern-day priorities, including those of the next generation. Shareholder agreements written without her decision-making in mind can restrict the very choices she is best placed to make. 

For advisers, engaging early with female family members on their terms and with a clear view of their priorities is now central to advice that is genuinely fit for purpose. 

Entrepreneurs 

Female founders are building high-growth businesses across the economy, and many are doing so while navigating persistent funding and negotiating gaps. In the UK, all-female founding teams received less than 3% of venture capital investment in 2023, according to research by the British Business Bank. 

Early legal advice can help founders address these issues, strengthening capital strategy, negotiation, governance and risk management. 

Recipients of wealth 

Women commonly become wealth holders through inheritance, divorce or widowhood. 

When a woman becomes the primary steward of family wealth, she often inherits structures that are unfamiliar, complex or not designed with her in mind. With the right support, that transition can also be a chance to build confidence, simplify decision-making and align wealth with what matters most. 

These moments also create a window for clear, early planning to include governance, philanthropy and the values that will guide how wealth is used across generations. 

At these pivotal points, advice that combines technical precision with sensitivity can support a smooth transition and give the wealth holder and her wider family greater clarity and stability. 

Looking ahead

Open conversations about succession and inheritance remain one of the most valuable, and underused, tools for families with significant wealth. As women increasingly become the primary wealth holder, advisers can add real value by facilitating structured dialogue that clarifies expectations and supports an orderly transfer of both assets and responsibility. 

This shift invites thoughtful adaptation, including listening closely, engaging earlier, and designing advice around the realities of how women govern, create and transfer wealth. 

Women’s growing influence over family wealth is reshaping legacy, succession and stewardship. The decisions made now will shape family outcomes for decades, creating scope for stronger governance, clearer transitions and genuinely values-led impact. Advisers who bring insight, empathy and robust structures to these conversations will be best placed to support the women at the heart of those decisions.

This article first appeared in En Voyage magazine.

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Disclaimer

This client briefing has been prepared for clients and professional associates of Ogier. The information and expressions of opinion which it contains are not intended to be a comprehensive study or to provide legal advice and should not be treated as a substitute for specific advice concerning individual situations.

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