Abstract

This paper analyzes how the introduction of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the role and competencies of the executive board, with particular attention to gender dynamics. Through a review of the literature and an analysis of data from the Excelsior Information System (Unioncamere – Italian Ministry of Labor) for the years 2017–2023, the study investigates the evolution of the competency profile required of top managers in recent years in response to digital transformation and Industry 4.0. The findings show that, despite some signs of progress, the preference for new female entries is lower than that for males, although organizations often do not express preferences or different expectations based on gender when recruiting individuals into top management positions. This paper aims to explore differences in the competency profiles of men and women in top management, highlighting that women remain underrepresented in top-level roles requiring advanced digital skills, while both genders display a significant propensity for soft skills, increasingly fundamental in the age of AI, in order to ensure more effective, transparent, and conscious governance.

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