Leading Women in Business: Top Female CEOs of 2025
In recent years, the corporate landscape has witnessed a significant shift towards gender diversity in leadership roles. As of 2025, women hold 10.4% of CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies, marking a record high with 52 female CEOs leading these major corporations.
Has There Been a Rise in Female CEOs Up to 2025?
The trajectory of female representation in executive roles has been on an upward trend. In 2023, women held 10.4% of leadership positions in Fortune 500 companies, with 52 female CEOs at the helm.
This positive momentum reflects the growing emphasis on gender diversity and inclusion within the corporate sector.
Related: Karen S. Lynch’s Daily Routine & Habits for Success
Related: Huda Kattan: The Visionary Behind Huda Beauty’s Success
Who Is the Richest Female CEO in 2025?
Jane Fraser, the CEO of Citigroup, stands out as one of the most powerful female bankers globally. Since assuming leadership in 2021, Fraser has significantly enhanced Citigroup's performance, with the bank's stock rising by 37% in 2024. Her total compensation over five years amounts to $107.5 million, underscoring her pivotal role in the bank's growth.
Top 5 Female CEOs in 2025
Mary T. Barra – General Motors
Related: General Motors Shifts Focus From Robotaxis to Driver-Assistance Technology
-
- Position: CEO since 2014
- Company Overview: General Motors, a leading automotive manufacturer, has thrived under Barra's leadership, focusing on innovation and electric vehicle development.
- Mary Barra has been at the helm of General Motors since January 2014, making her one of the longest-serving female CEOs in the automotive industry. Under her leadership, GM has navigated significant transformations, including a strategic pivot towards electric and autonomous vehicles. Barra's visionary approach has solidified GM's position as a leader in automotive innovation.
Gail K. Boudreaux – Anthem Inc.
-
- Position: CEO since 2017
- Company Overview: Anthem Inc., a prominent health insurance provider, has expanded its services and membership base under Boudreaux's guidance.
- Gail K. Boudreaux built her career in healthcare leadership, holding executive roles at Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealth Group before becoming CEO of Anthem Inc. in 2017. Under her leadership, Anthem expanded its services and rebranded as Elevance Health, focusing on innovative healthcare solutions and digital transformation.
Carol Tomé – UPS
-
-
- Position: CEO since 2020
- Company Overview: As the first female CEO of UPS, Tomé has steered the logistics giant through global challenges, emphasizing operational efficiency and sustainability.
- With a background in finance, Tomé has focused on operational excellence and expanding UPS's global logistics network, especially critical during the surge in e-commerce.
-
Emma Walmsley – GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
-
- Position: CEO since 2017
- Company Overview: Leading one of the world's foremost pharmaceutical companies, Walmsley has prioritized innovation in healthcare and consumer products.
- Emma Walmsley transitioned from a successful career at L’Oréal, where she led global consumer divisions, to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in 2010. She became CEO in 2017, making history as the first woman to lead a major pharmaceutical company. She has since driven GSK’s transformation, emphasizing innovation in vaccines, consumer healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.
Thasunda Brown Duckett – TIAA
-
- Position: CEO since 2021
- Company Overview: As one of the few Black women leading a Fortune 500 company, Duckett oversees TIAA, a financial services organization specializing in retirement services for the academic, research, medical, and cultural fields.
- Thasunda Brown Duckett climbed the ranks in financial services, holding leadership roles at Fannie Mae and JPMorgan Chase, where she led the Consumer Banking division. In 2021, she became CEO of TIAA, making her one of the few Black women to lead a Fortune 500 company. She champions financial inclusion and wealth equity.
These trailblazing women exemplify the strides made toward gender diversity in corporate leadership, inspiring future generations to pursue and achieve executive roles across various industries.
