The proportion of senior private equity roles held by women in Asia and Rest of World-based private equity firms has increased from 8.7% in 2011 to 10.4% in 2012, the latest Preqin research shows.

The increase puts firms in the region ahead of their counterparts in North America and Europe, where averages of 9.2% and 9.9% of senior roles respectively are filled by women.

There has been an increase across all geographies in the proportion of women employed in senior roles; in 2011 8.9% of senior roles were undertaken by women at North America-based firms, while the figure stood at 9.1% in Europe.

The proportion of senior roles filled by women in private equity firms does vary according to strategy; while real estate firms accounted for the largest proportion of senior female roles in 2011, infrastructure firms now lead the way. At present, 12% of senior infrastructure roles are filled by women.