We investigate the institutional context proxied by two types of corruption - pervasive and arbitrary - associated with firm exports, focusing on how this relationship differs between men and women-led firms.. Using self-reported micro-level cross-country data from 4,714 firms on arbitrary and pervasive corruption during 2008-2015 across 75 economies, we find that pervasive and arbitrary corruption types have different effects on firm exports. We also find that female Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) mitigate this effect of corruption in two distinct ways. Our results contribute to institutional and feminist theories and are robust when controlling for economic development and quality of gender institutional characteristics. Our study suggests that female CEOs in developing and emerging economies will be less vulnerable to predictably corrupt institutions rather than to uncertain institutions.