Background: Gender inequality remains a widely discussed issue across Europe. As of October 2023, women held around 33.9% of board positions in the EU’s largest publicly listed companies in business and finance. However, only 8% of these companies had a woman in the top leadership roles, such as CEO or board chair. Studies have shown that companies with women in corporate leadership positions tend to be more profitable (Christiansen et al., 2016; Franczak & Margolis, 2022). This correlation underscores the importance of addressing gender disparities in leadership positions to enhance firm performance. Despite numerous efforts to promote gender equality, women continue to face significant barriers to achieving leadership positions within Scandinavian and Eastern European firms. These barriers span individual, cultural, and structural dimensions, including implicit bias, gender stereotypes, and organizational norms (Ellemers, 2018; Correll, 2017). This research seeks to identify these key barriers and explore how they interact to sustain gender inequality in leadership positions in these two regional contexts. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify and compare the main barriers preventing women from attaining executive leadership roles in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Method: A qualitative method with in-depth interviews was followed with eight participants from Poland, Sweden and Hungary.  2 Conclusion: The findings reveal six persistent barriers: Structural and Organizational Barriers, Cultural Norms and Societal Expectations, Bias and Double Standards, Confidence and Internalized Bias, Work-Life Balance and Family Responsibilities, and Empowerment, Inclusion and Positive Change. While the nature of these barriers varies across regions, they remain deeply embedded in both formal and informal systems. This thesis extends existing theory by proposing a subsequent relationship between the Glass Ceiling and Glass Cliff phenomenon. Despite ongoing challenges, participants expressed optimism for future progress through cultural shifts, inclusive practices and female empowerment.