To be fair, Shantotto and now Y'shtola are the representatives of their games whenever the series cross pollinates :grover:
Shantotto is extremely far away from something you would call a lead.
Each main storyline might have something resembling a lead, but shantotto's not that person in any of them.
She's just an npc questgiver with an (very) amusing personality. A long time after the game's launch, she got her own tiny add-on, because of her existing popularity.
Interestingly, when you look at FFXIV, the head of each starting city seems to be a female and the head of the Scions (the "guild" you belong to, for those that don't know XIV well) is a female. There are a few guys here and there in leadership positions (although Ul'dah is headed by a female, the general is a male - and I think Ishgard's religious group will be headed by a male) but they aren't terribly numerous.
Can't remember much of XI's leads.
Isn't hornguy in charge of gridania? Also, the sultana is kind of like in a power struggle with some of the other guys there. I guess she is the official leader, but things are more complicated behind the scenes.
Ah, I thought horngirl was the leader. Could be wrong though. I'm more thinking of the companies - I mean, when you see the portraits, the girl leaders are in their portraits and the guy leader (Ul'dah) has to share with the midget princess lady with the annoying voice.