List of women in leadership explained
The following is a list of women in leadership by nationality – notable women who are well known for their achievements in leadership.
Africa
Kenya
Morocco
Namibia
Nigeria
- Olajumoke Adenowo (born 1968), architect, businesswoman, head of the oil and gas firm Advantage Energy, founder of AD Consulting
- Folorunsho Alakija (born 1951), business tycoon in the fashion, oil and printing industries
- Folake Coker (born 1974), fashion designer, founder of Tiffany Amber
- Uche Eze (born 1983), social media expert, entrepreneur, founder of the BellaNaija online magazine
- Kehinde Kamson (born 1961), entrepreneur, founder and CEO of the fast food company Sweet Sensation Confectionery
- Abibatu Mogaji (1917–2013), business magnate, President-General, Association of Nigerian Market Women and Men
- Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli (born 1975), social entrepreneur, co-founder of AACE Food Processing & Distribution, founder of LEAD Africa, a non-profit enterprise encouraging business leadership and development
- Bola Shagaya (born 1959), businesswoman, managing director of Practoil, board member of Unity Bank, Nigeria
Sierra Leone
South Africa
- Judy Dlamini (born 1959), businesswoman, author, Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand and the founding chairman of Mbekani Group
- Mpho Tshivhase (born 1986) philosopher at the University of Pretoria
Uganda
Asia-Pacific
Afghanistan
Australia
- Rosie Batty (born 1962), Australian of the Year (2015)
- Julie Bishop (born 1956), foreign minister since 2013
- Dame Quentin Alice Louise Bryce (born 1942), Governor-General of Australia (2008–2014)
- Ita Buttrose (born 1942), journalist, businesswoman, former editor of the Australian Women's Weekly, President of Alzheimers Australia
- Julia Gillard (born 1961), prime minister (2010–2013)
- Kay Goldsworthy (born 1956), Archbishop of Perth and Metropolitan of the Province of Western Australia in the Anglican Church of Australia
- Carolyn Hewson, prominent businesswoman[2]
- Cindy Hook, CEO, Deloitte Australia[3]
- Joan Kirner (1938–2015), politician, 42nd Premier of Victoria
- Catherine Livingstone (born 1955), chair of the Business Council of Australia (2014)
- Tanya Plibersek (born 1969), former Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party and former and current Cabinet Minister.
- Heather Ridout (born 1954), businesswoman, chair of Australian Super, board member of the Reserve Bank of Australia
- Gina Rinehart (born 1954), mining magnate, chair of Hancock Prospecting
- Gillian Triggs (born 1945), President, Australian Human Rights Commission
- Alison Watkins, CEO, Coca-Cola Amatil Australia[4]
- Jennifer Westacott, CEO, Business Council of Australia[5]
China
- Margaret Chan (born 1947), Chinese (Hong Kong) health specialist, director-general of the World Health Organization
- Dong Mingzhu, business executive, president of Gree Electric
- Ping Fu, Chinese-American entrepreneur, founder of Geomagic
- Gu Kailai (born 1958), former lawyer, businesswoman
- Liu Chaoying (born 1950s), former executive at China Aerospace International Holdings, Lt. Col in the People's Liberation Army
- Peng Lei, co-founder and executive of Alibaba Group
- Zihan Ling, entrepreneur and gender equality proponent, founded Techbase in 2015
- Sheng Aiyi (1900–1983), entertainment entrepreneur, general manager of Shanghai BaiLeMen
- Wu Ying (born 1981), former entrepreneur, convicted of fraud
- Yang Huiyan (born 1981), majority shareholder of the Country Garden Holdings property group
- Yang Lan (born 1986), co-founder and chair of Sun Media Group
- Peggy Yu (born 1965), co-founder of Dangdang, an online retailer
- Zhang Xin (born 1965), business executive, co-founder and CEO of the real estate developer SOHO China
- Zhang Yin (born 1957), founder and director of Nine Dragons Paper Holdings Limited
- Kelly Zong (born 1982), executive and purchasing manager of the Hangzhou Wahaha beverage group
Hong Kong
- Sally Aw (born 1926), newspaper owner until 1959
- Flora Cheong-Leen (born 1959), business executive in fashion
- Pollyanna Chu, executive with interests in finance and real estate
- Lydia Dunn, Baroness Dunn (born 1940), business executive, former politician, held senior positions until 1995
- Kwong Siu-hing (born 1929), controlling interests in Sun Hung Kai Properties
- Michelle Sun, entrepreneur, founded First Code Academy in 2013
- Yvonne Lui (born 1977), business executive, board member of several companies
- Annie Wu, businesswoman, founder of Beijing Air Catering, involved in other catering joint ventures
India
See also: List of Indian businesswomen.
- Anuradha Acharya (born 1972), entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Ocimum Bio Solutions
- Vinita Bali (born 1955), CEO of the food products corporation Britannia Industries
- Avani Davda (born 1980), CEO of the joint venture between Starbucks and Tata Global Beverage
- Bala Deshpande, senior managing director of the venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (India)
- Nisa Godrej, executive director of Godrej Consumer Products
- Shyamala Gopinath (born 1949), former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India, chair of HDFC Bank
- Vandana Luthra (born 1959), entrepreneur, founder of VLCC Health Care Ltd
- Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (born 1953), chair and CEO of Biocon
- Megha Mittal (born 1976), chair and CEO of the German fashion firm Escada
- Sumati Morarjee (1907–1998), headed the Scindia Steam Navigation Company
- Leena Nair (born 1969), executive director, HR, Hindustan Unilever
- Naveen Saini (born 1958), business executive, former CEO of ICICI Prudential, CEO of Oral Developers bank
- Sheila Sri Prakash (born 1955), Founder and Chief Architect of Shilpa Architects, Board Member of the Chennai Smart Cities Ltd., Member of World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Design Innovation, Role of Arts in Society, and the Future Council on Sustainability and Resource Scarcity
- Priya Paul (born 1967), Chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels (born 1967), chair of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels
- Chitra Ramkrishna (born 1963), managing director and CEO, National Stock Exchange of India
- Kirthiga Reddy (born c.1972), businesswomen, director of sales at Facebook India
- Nicole Rodrigues-Larsen (born 1973), Dubai-based entrepreneur, founder and managing director of modelling and talent agencies
- Usha Sangwan, business executive, managing director of Life Insurance Corporation of India
- Devita Saraf (born 1981), founder and CEO of Vu Technologies
- Ameera Shah (born 1979), CEO and Managing Director, Metropolis Healthcare
- Shikha Sharma (born 1958), managing director and CEO of Axis Bank
- Snehlata Shrivastava (born 1957), government administrator, business executive, board member of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
- Mallika Srinivasan (born 1959), chair and CEO of the TAFE farm equipment company
- Mercy Williams (c.1947–2014), first woman to be mayor of Kochi
Indonesia
- Karen Agustiawan (born 1958), former managing director and CEO of the Pertamina oil and gas concern
- Megawati Sukarnoputri (born 1947), politician, President of Indonesia (2001–2004)
- Mooryati Soedibyo (1928–2024), politician, entrepreneur, founder and owner of Mustika Ratu cosmetics
- Sri Mulyani Indrawati (born 1962), former Managing Director of the World Bank Group, Minister of Finance of Indonesia
- Susi Pudjiastuti (born 1965), owner of Susi Air and PT ASI Pudjiastuti Marine Product, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia
- Tri Rismaharini (born 1961), politician, Mayor of Surabaya
Israel
- Orit Adato (born 1955), first woman to achieve a three-star rank in Israel
Japan
- Tatsuuma Kiyo (1809–1900), leading role at the Hakushika sake brewing company
- Sadako Ogata (1927–2019), international political leader, widely known as the first woman to be appointed as head of the UNHCR (1990-2000)
- Fumiko Hayashi (born 1946), businessperson and politician, former president of BMW Tokyo, CEO of Daiei Inc., and Mayor of Yokohama
Malaysia
- Yvonne Chia (born c.1953), business executive, former CEO of Hong Leong Bank, currently CEO of Shell Refining, Malaysia
- Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (born c.1952), Politician, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
- Rafidah Aziz, Politician, Chairman of AirAsia X
- Muhaini Mahmud, Co-Founder Of Kiddocare App
- Melissa Ngiam, COO Of Yayasan Generasi Gemilang (GG)
- Jenn Low, Founder Of Wanderlust + Co
- Lovy Beh, Director Of BP Healthcare Group
- Raeesa Sya, Founder Of Orkid Cosmetics
Nepal
New Zealand
-
- Bronwen Holdsworth (born 1943), business woman, arts patron, chair of the Holdsworth Group with interests in farming, property, investment and manufacturing
- Pauline Kumeroa Kingi (born 1951), Māori community leader
- Rosanne Meo, board member of several companies including television energy and financial interests
- Annette Presley (born 1964), telecommunications entrepreneur, co-founder of Slingshot
- Nicky Wagner (born 1953), politician, government minister outside of cabinet
- Joan Withers, business executive, chair of Television New Zealand and the Mercury Energy electricity generation company
North Korea
Pakistan
Philippines
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
- Jannie Chan, entrepreneur, president of the Singapore Retailers Association
- Jennie Chua, businessperson, co-founder of Beeworks, Inc.
- Fatimah binte Sulaiman (c.1754–c.1852), merchant, philanthropist
- Loke Cheng Kim (1895–1981), Malaysian-born businessperson, owner of the Ocean Park Hotel
- Olivia Lum, founder and president of the Hyflux Group
- Saw Phaik Hwa (born 1957), former president and CEO of SMRT Corporation
South Korea
- Kim Sung-joo (born 1956), entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Sungjoo Group, chair and CEO of MCM Holdings
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
- Nancy T. Chang (born 1950), biochemist, co-founder of the U.S. pharmaceutical company Tanox
- Eva Chen, business executive, co-founder and CEO of the Trend Micro security company
- Shenan Chuang, CEO for Greater China at the Ogilvy & Mather advertising and marketing company
Thailand
United Arab Emirates
- Raja Al Gurg, influential business executive, managing director of Easa Saleh Al Gurg
Europe
Andorra
- Lídia Armengol i Vila (1948–1991), civil servant who championed the restoration of her country's historic language and culture
Armenia
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
- Birgit Aagard-Svendsen (born 1956), executive vice president and CFO of the J. Lauritzen shipping company
- Stine Bosse (born 1960), business executive, positions with TrygVesta, Allianz, Aker and president of the Royal Danish Theatre
- Elsebeth Budolfsen (born 1947), pharmacist, business executive, has held senior positions in several important Danish companies
- Lene Dammand Lund (born 1963), architect, educator, rector at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
- Lene Espersen (born 1965), politician, business executive
- Julie Fagerholt (born 1968), fashion designer, founder of the luxury clothing brand Heartmade
- Mette Kynne Frandsen (born 1960), CEO and partner at Henning Larsen Architects
- Karen Hækkerup (born 1974), politician, business executive, former minister
- Vibeke Jensdatter (1638–1709), early merchant, landowner, successful in business
- Hanni Toosbuy Kasprzak (born 1957), owner and chair of the ECCO shoe company
- Camilla Ley Valentin (born 1973), business executive, co-founder and CCO of the queuing system Queue-it
- Dorte Mandrup (born 1961), architect, founder and owner of Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter
- Tine Roed (born 1964), administrator, business executive, deputy director-general at the Confederation of Danish Industries
- Lene Tranberg (born 1956), head and co-founder of Lundgaard & Tranberg
- Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla (born 1948), business executive, chair of the A.P. Møller Foundation
- Margrethe Vestager (born 1968), Danish politician, European Commissioner for Competition
- Vibeke Windeløv (born 1950), film producer, has served on numerous corporate boards including the European Film Academy
Estonia
Finland
- Lenita Airisto (born 1937), influential business leader, culture and TV
- Anne Brunila (born 1957), executive vice president of Fortum
- Maija-Liisa Friman (born 1952), business executive, serving on the board of several companies
- Valpuri Innamaa (died 1602), early merchant, shipowner
- Sveta Planman (born 1979), fashion designer, CEO of JOLIER
- Lisa Sounio (born 1970), fashion entrepreneur, business executive
- Jaana Tuominen (born 1960), business executive, CEO of the coffee and cocoa company Gustav Paulig
France
- Catherine Barba (born 1973), business executive active in digital retail
- Patricia Barbizet (born 1955), holds various executive positions including CEO of Christie's
- Suzanne Belperron (1900–1983), influential jewellery designer and business executive
- Liliane Bettencourt (1922–2017), prominent businesswoman, top shareholder in L'Oréal
- Anne Bouverot (born 1966), business executive, CEO of Morpho, former board member of the GSM Association
- Coco Chanel (1883–1971), founder of Chanel
- Madame Clicquot Ponsardin (1777–1866), owner and developer of the champagne brand Veuve Clicquot
- Mercedes Erra (born 1954), business executive, co-founder of the BETC advertising agency, executive president of Havas Worldwide
- Véronique Laury, CEO of the Castorama DIY chain
- Anne Lauvergeon (born 1959), former CEO of the Areva energy group
- Géraldine Le Meur (born 1972), innovator, business executive, co-founder of LeWeb conferences
- Laurence Parisot (born 1959), former head of the MEDEF employers' union
- Marie-Hélène Peugeot-Roncoroni (born c.1961), member of the board of PSA Peugeot Citroën
- Dominique Reiniche (born 1955), chair of Coca-Cola Europe
- Ariane de Rothschild (born 1965), banker, vice president of Edmond de Rothschild Holding
- Marie-Laure Sauty de Chalon (born 1962), businesswoman, feminist, CEO of aufeminin
- Corinne Vigreux (born 1964), business executive, co-founder and managing director of the Dutch consumer electronics company TomTom
Germany
- Kerstin Günther (born 1967), business executive, senior positions in Deutsche Telekom Group
- Susanne Klatten (born 1962), influential board member and majority shareholder of the chemicals manufacturer Altana
- Aygül Özkan (born 1971), politician, former minister in Lower Saxony
- Johanna Quandt (1926–2015), served as deputy chair of BMW
- Anni Schaad (1911–1988), founded the jewellery company Langani
- Madeleine Schickedanz (born 1943), former billionaire shareholder in Quelle and Arcandor which declared bankruptcy in 2009
- Leonore Semler (1921–2016), founder in 1963 of the German branch of the African Medical and Research Foundation
- Sybill Storz (born 1937), heads the Karl Storz GmbH, a medical device company
- Sylvia Ströher (born 1954), formerly headed the family's successful cosmetics business Wella, sold in 2004
- Angela Merkel (born 1954), Chancellor of Germany (2005–2021)
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
- Elaine Coughlan, venture capitalist, co-founded of Atlantic Bridge Capital
- Eileen Gray (1878–1976), pioneer of modern architecture in Ireland
- Mary Guiney (1901–2004), former chair of the Clerys department store
- Anne Heraty (born 1961), CEO of CPL Resources
- Aedhmar Hynes (born 1966), business executive, member of several company boards
- Louise O'Sullivan (born 1973), telecommunications executive, founder and CEO of Anam Technologies
Israel
Italy
- Barbara Labate (born c.1978), entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of the comparative-pricing web company Risparmio Super
Netherlands
Norway
- Bettina Banoun (born 1972), lawyer, board member of the shipping company Wilh. Wilhelmsen
- Mimi Berdal (born 1959), lawyer, business executive, chair or board member of several companies including Itera, Synnøve Finden and Q-Free
- Lisbeth Berg-Hansen (born 1963), politician, business executive, chair of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, board member of several companies including Aker Seafoods
- Ingeborg Moen Borgerud (born 1949), lawyer, former politician and business executive with board positions in several companies
- Kjerstin Braathen (born 1970), Norwegian banker, CEO of DNB
- Gro Brækken (born 1952), has held executive positions in several companies, since 2010 director of the Norwegian Oil Industry Association
- Kari Gjesteby (born 1947), politician, businesswoman, has held several ministerial posts and has been a director of the Bank of Norway and the National Library of Norway
- Elisabeth Grieg (born 1959), business executive, part owner of the Grieg Group, also holds several board positions
- Annette Malm Justad (born 1958), businessperson, board member of several companies including Petroleum Geo-Services and Camillo Eitzen & Co
- Wenche Kjølås (born 1962), businessperson, executive positions, including in companies belonging to the Grieg Group
- Catharina Lysholm (1744–1815), ship-owner, managed Fru Agentinde Lysholm & Co
- Åse Aulie Michelet (born 1952), businessperson, pharmacist, CEO of Marine Harvest
- Gro Møllerstad (born 1960), businessperson, politician
- Wenche Nistad (born 1952), businessperson, civil servant, has been director of Den norske Bank
- Anette S. Olsen (born 1956), businessperson, owner and head of the Fred. Olsen shipping company
- Margareth Øvrum (born 1958), civil engineer, businessperson, executive vice president at Statoil
- Hanne Refsholt (born 1960), agronomist, businessperson, CEO of the dairy cooperative Tine
- Karin Refsnes (born 1947), civil servant, businessperson
- Marit Reutz (born 1952), businessperson, former chair of the National Library of Norway
- Berit Svendsen (born 1963), engineer, businessperson, vice president of the Telenor Group, head of Telenor Norway
- Karen Toller (1662–1742), early shipowner
- Aud Marit Wiig (born 1953), diplomat, businessperson, ambassador to Pakistan
Poland
Portugal
Romania
- Maria Antonescu (1892–1964), philanthropist, wife of Prime Minister Ion Antonescu
- Mariana Gheorghe (born 1956), general manager of the oil company Petrom
- Monica Iacob Ridzi (born 1977), politician, member of the European Parliament
- Sorina-Luminița Plăcintă (born 1965), politician, former minister
- Carmen Radu, former President and CEO of Exim Bank
- Irina Schrotter (born 1965), fashion designer, businessperson
- Ileana Sonnabend (1914–2007), art dealer, ran the Sonnabend Gallery in New York City
Russia
Serbia
Spain
Sweden
- Gunilla Asker (born 1962), CEO of the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet
- Maria Borelius (born 1960), former minister, business executive
- Anna Bråkenhielm (born 1966), business leader active in television and the media
- Mia Brunell (born 1965), CEO of the Axel Johnson investment company
- Stina Ehrensvärd (born 1967), Swedish-American entrepreneur, CEO of Yubico, co-inventor of the YubiKey
- Marie Ehrling (born 1955), business executive, chair of TeliaSonera
- Annika Falkengren (born 1962), president and CEO of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken
- Karin Forseke (born 1955), former CEO of Carnegie Investment Bank
- Sofia Gumaelius (1840–1915), early businesswoman, founder of the Gumaelius advertising agency
- Hanna Hammarström (1829–1909), inventor, industrialist, manufactured telephone wires
- Helena Helmersson (born 1973), senior manager at the H&M retail clothing company
- (born 1943), chair of Axel Johnson
- Bonnie Roupé (born 1976), founder of the Chinese health company Bonzun
- Cecilia Stegö Chilò (born 1959), politician, businessperson
- Azita Shariati (born 1968), heads the Swedish branch of the catering and services multinational Sodexo
- Wilhelmina Skogh (1849–1926), hotel manager and owner
- Cristina Stenbeck (born 1977), chair and main owner of Investment AB Kinnevik
- Charlotte Strömberg (born 1959), former CEO of the JLL real estate company
- Louise Wachtmeister (born 1978), entrepreneur, athlete, political activist
- Tina Persson, PhD, CEO of Passage2Pro
Switzerland
Turkey
United Kingdom
See
North America
Bahamas
Canada
- Alison Redford (born 1965), 14th Premier of Alberta
- Catherine Callbeck (born 1939), 28th Premier of Prince Edward Island, first female provincial premier to win a general election\
- Christy Clark (born 1965), 35th Premier of British Columbia
- Eva Aariak (born 1955), 2nd Premier of Nunavut, represent the electoral district of Iqaluit East in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
- Kathleen Wynne (born 1953), 25th Premier of Ontario
- Kathy Dunderdale (born 1952), 10th Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Kim Campbell (born 1947), 19th Prime Minister of Canada, chairperson for Canada's Supreme Court Advisory Board
- Lois Mitchell (born 1939/1940), businesswoman and philanthropist, the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
- Nellie Cournoyea (born 1940), 6th Premier of the Northwest Territories, first female Premier of a Canadian territory, Norwegian and Inupiaq heritage
- Pat Duncan (born 1960), 6th Premier of the Yukon, first female Premier of the Yukon
- Pauline Marois (born 1949), 30th Premier of Quebec
- Rachel Notley (born 1964), 17th Premier of Alberta
- Rita Johnston (born 1935), politician in British Columbia, first female Premier in Canada, 29th Premier of British Columbia
- Sonja Bata (born 1926), Swiss-born business woman, founder and chair of the world's largest shoe museum
El Salvador
Mexico
Puerto Rico
United States
See,
- Jewel Freeman Graham (1925–2015), educator, social worker, second black woman to head the YWCA
- Zipporah Michelbacher Cohen (1853–1944), American civic leader, president Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Association in Richmond, Virginia
- Jennifer Martin (born 1973), American author, born in Canada; leader in business startups, American actress, producer, and author.
[7] [8]
South America
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Peru
Uruguay
Venezuela
Notes and References
- Web site: Chief Executive Women – Kathryn Fagg. www.cew.org.au. 2015-09-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20150928191359/http://www.cew.org.au/members/kathryn-fagg. 2015-09-28. dead.
- Web site: Carolyn Hewson: master of discretion. 2015-09-28.
- Web site: Deloitte's Cindy Hook Recharging The Accounting Firm. The Australian.
- Web site: Alison Watkins Women's Leadership Institute Australia. www.wlia.org.au. 2015-09-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20150928213010/http://www.wlia.org.au/profile/alison-watkins/. 2015-09-28. dead.
- Web site: Chief Executive Women – Jennifer Westacott. www.cew.org.au. 2015-09-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20150928184601/http://www.cew.org.au/members/jennifer-westacott. 2015-09-28. dead.
- Web site: Jawalakhel Group’s Maggie Shah Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award . 2024-06-20 . www.newbusinessage.com . en.
- Book: Martin . Jennifer . Author . 25 July 2021 . Boujee Publishing . 9781737173311 . 11 August 2022.
- Book: Martin . Jennifer . Boss Girls Are Leaders Who Hustle And Are Likeable Too. . July 2021 . Boujee Publishing . Houston, TX . 9781737173311 . 87 . 11 August 2022 . Google Books.
