by business editor Trevor Sturgess

tsturgess@thekmgroup.co.uk

Senior female staff in the south east could have to wait 38 years for pay parity with men.

That's according to new figures from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) which reveal the extent of the gender pay gap.

While female executives in the region are paid £33,427 on average, their male counterparts receive £42,991, revealing a £9,564 chasm.

The CMI claims that this persistent gap means that if male and female salaries continue to increase at current rates, it would be 2049 – 38 years – before the average salary for south east female executives catches up with that of their male peers.

Marc Spillman, south east business manager at the CMI, said businesses were again contributing to the persistent gender pay gap and alienating top female employees.

He called on the government to demand more company transparency on pay and "publicly expose" organisations found guilty of fuelling the gender pay gap.

"They and employers must ensure that women are nurtured and supported at work and can access development opportunities to help them on their way to senior management positions.

"We want to see mentoring and sponsorship programmes in more businesses and industries and more female executives pushing their employers to formalise and publicise equal pay and opportunity policies."