Is it still a man's world?

Are more women in the Gulf breaking into top-level positions in financial services, or is it still a male-dominated industry?

Figures from the US Equal Opportunity Commission paint a cosmopolitan picture of the industry state-side. In the banking/credit arena, women make up 48.6% of the workforce, whereas in the securities market - the sector with the lowest proportion of women - 33.8% are female.

The Gulf isn't so forthcoming in quantifying the diversity of its workforce, but anecdotal evidence would suggest it's not that easy for women to break into the industry, particularly at the top level.

There are, of course, notable exceptions, such as Soha Nashaat, managing director of Barclays Middle East, who won 'Woman Banker of the Year' in both 2006 and 2007.

She said on receipt of the award: "This recognition wasn't possible before but to know that now I can actually live at home and be recognized for my accomplishments is just more than I expected."

Then there's Nahed Taher, former chief economist at The National Commercial Bank in Saudi Arabia, who is now chief executive officer of First Gulf Bank in Bahrain.

But do these high-profile appointments mask the fact that it's still very much a man's world? Headhunters tell us that a lot of female expats will be considered for low or mid-ranking roles in the region, but most senior roles go to local men.

Are you a woman who has hit a glass ceiling in the Middle East? Is the route to the top considerably steeper for women? Or are the rungs on the career ladder open to anyone willing to fight hard enough for them?

Your thoughts please....