Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Indra Nooyi.

Pepsico chief Indra Nooyi has been named as the most powerful woman in corporate America by the Fortune magazine, while four other Indian women have made the cut in the list of female business honchos outside the US.

Nooyi, chairman and CEO of beverages major Pepsico, has topped the list of 50 Most Powerful Women in the US for the fifth time.

"It was a year of expansion for this elite group. Several women, including PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, pulled off big acquisitions, while thirteen others earned big promotions," Fortune said.

The report pointed out that she completed the purchase of PepsiCo's two largest bottlers, bringing revenues to a projected $60 billion.

"Now she'll have to deliver the $400 million annual cost savings she promised. Investors seem assured: The stock is up 12 per cent since September 2009," it added.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Chanda Kochhar.

In another list of 50 most powerful women worldwide, excluding the US, there are four Indians.

Leading the foursome is ICICI Bank managing director and CEO Chanda Kochhar at rank 10.

About 49-year-old Kochhar, the magazine said that she took charge of India's largest private sector bank last year and swiftly put her own stamp on the business.

"Twenty-five years after starting out at ICICI as a management trainee, Kochhar shattered the glass ceiling in 2009, making history as the first woman managing director and CEO at a private sector bank in India," Fortune noted.

According to Fortune, with managing assets of more than $100 billion and wholly-owned subsidiaries in 18 countries, Kochhar has strengthened its sources of funding and pushed through an ambitious branch expansion.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Neelam Dhawan.

HP India's Neelam Dhawan follows Kochhar at rank 36.

She has countrywide responsibility for revenues and profitability and ensuring the greatest leverage from HP's services, personal systems and imaging & printing businesses.

With a portfolio that extends to offshore activities, BPO, software engineering, research and IT services, Neelam is focused on shaping the company's overall business agenda and leading its strategy and corporate development efforts.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Shobhana Bhartia.

HT Media's Shobhana Bhartia is next, and is ranked 44th.

Bhartia is the chairperson and editorial director of the Hindustan Times group.

She is also the Pro Chancellor of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani.

At HT, she looks after editorial as well as financial aspects.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Preetha Reddy.

Last among the Indians is Apollo Hospital Group's Preetha Reddy at rank 48.

Known as healthcare queen of India, Preetha has has over 45 hospitals under her and has been named successor to Dr Prathap Reddy.

On June 5, Preetha launched her first solo project, the Apollo Paediatric Hospital in Chennai.

This hospital has been Preetha's project from scratch - from guiding the building layout, aesthetics and size of the cots to the operation theatres and services around the patient.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Irene Rosenfeld.

In the latest ranking, Nooyi is followed by Kraft Foods' chief Irene Rosenfeld at the second spot.

Rosenfeld was appointed CEO of Kraft Foods in June 2006. She was appointed to the additional post of chairman in March 2007.

She holds a Ph.D. in marketing and statistics, a Master of Science in Business Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Cornell University.

In 2008 she was placed sixth on The Wall Street Journal's "50 Women to Watch" list. In 2009, Forbes ranked her the 6th most powerful woman.

In 2009 alone, Rosenfeld earned total compensation of above $26 million.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Patricia Ann Woertz.

Patricia Ann Woertz became CEO of Archer Daniels Midland in 2006, beating out 4 other competitors.

In 2009, with a rank of 93, Woertz was the top-ranking woman on the Fortune 500's list of top CEOs.

Also in 2009, Forbes ranked Woertz as the 26th most powerful woman in the world.

While CEO of Archer Daniels Midland in 2009, Woertz earned a total compensation of $14,689,022.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Angela F Braly.

Angela F Braly is president and chief executive officer for WellPoint, Inc, a large US-based health care company.

Braly received her undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University in 1982 and her Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University School of Law. She graduated from Richardson High School in 1979.

She was recognised by the St. Louis Business Journal as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Business for 2000 and was named one of Modern Healthcare's Top 25 Women in Healthcare in 2007.

Forbes listed Braly as the sixteenth most powerful woman in the world in 2007, fourth most powerful in 2008, and eighth most powerful in 2009.

As of April 2009, Braly had the 306th highest compensation for a US CEO, having earned $4.07 million.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Andrea Jung.

Andrea Jung is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Avon Products, Inc. She has been on the company's board of directors since 1998.

Jung first came to Avon in 1994 as the company's president in its product marketing group.

Jung is a magna cum laude graduate of Princeton University.

In 2009, Forbes ranked her the 25th most powerful woman.

While CEO of Avon Products in 2009, Jung received a total compensation of $6,997,015.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Oprah Gail Winfrey.

Oprah Gail Winfrey is an American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history.

She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century.

Credited with creating a more intimate confessional form of media communication, she is said to have popularised and revolutionised the tabloid talk show.

From 2006 to 2008, her support of Barack Obama, by one estimate, delivered over a million votes in the close 2008 Democratic primary race.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Ellen J Kullman.

Ellen J Kullman is president, chairperson and chief executive officer of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont).

Forbes ranked her 7th of the 100 'Most Powerful Women' in 2009.

Kullman began her business career at General Electric and joined DuPont in 1988 as marketing manager in the company's medical imaging business.

The Wall Street Journal named her eighth on its 2008 list of 'Women to Watch'.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Ginni Rometty.

Ginni Rometty is senior vice president and group executive, IBM sales, marketing and strategy.

As IBM's global sales leader, she is accountable for revenue, profit, and client satisfaction in the 170 global markets in which IBM does business.

In this role, Rometty is responsible for IBM's worldwide results, which exceeded $95 billion in 2009.

She also is responsible for leading IBM's global strategy, marketing and communications functions.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Ursula M Burns.

Ursula M Burns serves as chairwoman and CEO of Xerox.

She is the first African-American woman CEO to head a S&P 100 company.

She is also the first woman to succeed another woman as head of a S&P 100 company. In 2009, Forbes rated her the 14th most powerful woman.

Burns serves on numerous professional and community boards, including American Express.

Click on NEXT to read more...

5 Indians among most powerful businesswomen

Last updated on: September 30, 2010 10:50 IST
Carol Ann Bartz.

Carol Ann Bartz is the president and CEO of Yahoo!

At her one year mark at Yahoo in January 2010, Bartz gave herself a 'B-' grade for the job done in 2009: "It was a little tougher internally than I think I had anticipated. I did move fast, but this is a big job."

Others in the media, however, rated her job higher given the challenges she had to manage.

Bartz is a survivor of a 1992 bout with breast cancer.

Her hobbies include golf, tennis, and gardening.