Today, Fortune announced the 2024 edition of the Most Powerful Women in business list, featuring 100 leading business women spanning finance, tech, health care, telecom, retail, energy, and other industries.
The 27th edition of the Fortune Most Powerful Women in business list recognizes 100 impressive leaders, including women calling the shots at Fortune Global 500 companies and some at emerging players. The ranking, global in scope for the second year in a row, has 12 leaders from East Asia, eight each from France and the U.K., three each from Australia and Singapore, and two each from Spain, Brazil, and Germany.
The list, compiled by Fortune editors – based on company size and health, their career path, influence beyond their organization, and how they wield power – includes 65 women CEOs. Some have recently taken on the role, such as Mitsuko Tottori of Japan Airlines and Bonnie Chan of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, both of whom are also the first female CEOs at their respective companies.
This year’s list also spotlights the exploding AI sector and the rise of “super CFOs” like Nvidia’s Colette Kress. In AI, and new to the MPW list, are computer science pioneer Fei-Fei Li and Daniela Amodei, president and cofounder of AI startup Anthropic.
Alyson Shontell, Fortune Editor in Chief and Chief Content Officer, said, “Since its inception, the Most Powerful Women in business list has served as a powerful reminder of the tremendous impact women leaders continue to have in shaping business today. They are not just adapting to change; they are driving meaningful transformation.”
Fortune CEO Anastasia Nyrkovskaya – the company’s first female CEO herself – said, “This list showcases how women executives are transforming businesses and entire industries. Their bold leadership and fresh perspectives will surely propel positive change for years to come.”
The top 10 Most Powerful Women in business 2024 are:
- Mary Barra, Chair and CEO, GM (U.S.)
- Karen S. Lynch, President and CEO, CVS Health (U.S.)
- Jane Fraser, CEO, Citigroup (U.S.)
- Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO, Accenture (U.S.)
- Emma Walmsley, CEO, GSK (U.K.)
- Ruth Porat, President, CIO, CFO, Alphabet and Google (U.S.)
- Safra Catz, CEO, Oracle (U.S.)
- Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD (U.S.)
- Kathryn McLay, President and CEO, Walmart International (U.S.)
- Grace Wang, Co-founder, Chairwoman, Luxshare Precision (China)
Mary Barra is a trailblazer in the auto industry. Among the 55 women currently leading Fortune 500 companies, Barra is one of only nine who have been CEO for a decade or more. Today, as Michal Lev-Ram writes in her Fortune profile of Barra, the CEO has led GM to its strongest financial position in many years. Last year, under Barra’s leadership, the automaker notched its best performance in 17 years, with $171.8 billion in revenue and $10.1 billion in profit. So far this year, its stock is up 35%. Barra also helped GM reach a resolution with the United Auto Workers to end a historic strike and remains committed to GM’s goal of going all-electric.
Numerous women on the 2024 list, including Barra, will speak at or attend the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Laguna Niguel, California, October 14-16.
Confirmed MPW Summit speakers include Associate Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson; Levi Strauss CEO Michelle Gass; Instacart CEO Fidji Simo; Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett; WNBA legend Sue Bird; four-time Grammy winner Lizzo; former CNN host and entrepreneur Campbell Brown; actress and co-founder Cameron Diaz; model and entrepreneur Christy Turlington Burns; and founder, CEO, and author Arianna Huffington, among others.
Maryam Banikarim, Managing Director of the Fortune MPW franchise, added, “The MPW Summit is a global leadership powerhouse, uniting the most influential women in business. These global leaders make the time to come together at MPW because they know they will leave connected and inspired. With the potential for America’s first female president, our theme, ‘A New Era of Leadership,’ is incredibly timely. Women are not just witnessing change – we’re driving it.”
For more information on the MPW 2024 summit, including the speakers and agenda, click here.
About Fortune:
Fortune is a global multi-platform media company built on a legacy of trusted, award-winning reporting and information for those who want to make business better. Independently owned, Fortune tells the stories of the world’s biggest companies and their leaders as well as a new generation of innovators who are moving business forward. Digitally and in print, Fortune measures corporate performance through rigorous benchmarks, and holds companies accountable, in regions around the world. Its iconic rankings include Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women, and World’s Most Admired Companies. Fortune builds world-class communities by convening industry thought leaders for exclusive summits and conferences, including the Fortune Global Forum and Brainstorm Tech.
