A female user of Red (Xiao Hongshu) poses with the company's staff at its anniversary celebration in Shanghai. [Photo provided to China Daily]

About one in every 20 A-share companies is led by female, according to a report by Securities Times released on International Women's Day on Wednesday.

The number of chairwomen in Chinese mainland-listed firms totals 151, accounting for 5 percent of all top posts. Equipment manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemical engineering, real estate, and automobile are the top five industries with most female business leaders.

About 70 percent of the chairwomen were born in the 60s or 70s, according to the report. Corporate head Hu Jiajia of Shanghai Metersbonwe Fashion & Accessories Co and Liu Xiaoqing of Dalian Yi Qiao Sea Cucumber Co, both 30, are the youngest.

Of the 153 A-share firms run by women, 56 are listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange, 45 on Shenzhen small-and-medium enterprise board, and 31 on NASDAQ-styled ChiNext board.

Among the 145 chairwomen who have disclosed their education background, four have doctorate degree and 10 have studied abroad, noted the report.

According to a survey by professional networking site LinkedIn, 44 percent of all senior management roles in companies were held by women last year.

The need to balance family obligations and pressure from society are still believed to be major obstacles for women in the business world.