Leen Kawas on Addressing Disparities and Gender Bias
Leen Kawas on Addressing Disparities and Gender Bias
The “glass ceiling” is a phrase that has recently gained popularity to describe the hidden obstacles that women and minorities encounter as they strive for advancement in their careers. Unfortunately, studies reveal that females constitute only 29.1% of CEOs across various industries and 8.2% in Fortune 500 companies. Moreover, a significant gender wage gap exists, with women born in 1985 expected to earn 10% less than men of similar education and skill levels. These disparities highlight the urgent need to address systemic inequalities and create a level playing field for everyone.
The issue of the glass ceiling in industries, particularly those dominated by men, such as biotech, has been a topic of much discussion lately. Leen Kawas, the General Managing Partner at Propel Bio Partners and founder of Athira Pharma, has shared her perspective on how members of the biotech community and women leaders can work towards breaking through this barrier.
Leen Kawas suggests that there should be an increase in funding for companies led by women. She points out that in 2021, only 2.0% of venture capital went to these companies, a decrease from the 2.8% peak in 2009. To address this issue, companies like Propel Bio Partners should provide support, including funding and business expertise, to help minority-led biotech companies achieve their goals at reasonable rates that benefit both the industry and the company. Kawas also believes that the lack of female representation in investment spaces could contribute to the disparity in funding between male and female-led businesses.
Leen Kawas observed that gender bias remains unseen or unacknowledged and is still a significant obstacle to women’s career progress. Despite the increasing number of women being hired, according to a recent study by the Harvard Business Review, this alone is insufficient to eliminate workplace bias. This is because gender bias persists throughout the organization and is present when venture capitalists interview key personnel.
Learn more about Leen Kawas: https://www.leenkawas.com/