Does the Gender of a Bank’s President Have an Effect on Financial Performance? A Case Study of Poland’s Cooperative Bank Sector

This study endeavours to determine Poland’s cooperative banking sector’s effectiveness based on the board of directors’ president’s gender. The examination indicated that in the case of Polish co-op banks, women fulfilled the function of bank president in smaller banks than did men. The volume of clients, members, general assets and equity in banks managed by men were generally more than double than the same values in banks managed by women. However, the effectiveness of the examined co-op banks managed by women was decidedly better with regard to ROA, ROE, net profits, cost/income ratio and non-performing loans indicator, than those banks under male management. In addition, by applying advanced statistical modelling, confirmed was that the gender of a co-op bank board of directors’ president had significant influence on the bank’s effectiveness and when that position was held by a woman, this circumstance had a positive effect on the bank’s condition.