The tech world is fast-moving, highly competitive and male-dominated. But some of the most prestigious and best-remunerated roles are held by females. These women are steering in a new era of female tech leadership.
Below are the most powerful women in tech from around the world in 2016.
Sheryl Sandberg – COO, Facebook - In June 2012, Sheryl Sandberg became the first woman to serve on Facebook’s board of directors. That same year, she made Time’s 100 Most Influential People list. She supporting continued growth at Facebook and has also promoted initiatives to address the gender gap within the tech industry and is on the board of Women for Women International.
Susan Wojcicki – CEO, Youtube - In 1999, she joined Google as their first marketing manager and worked her way up to senior vice President of Advertising and Commerce. After overseeing Google Video for some time, Susan proposed that the company acquire Youtube (which at the time was a small start-up). She later handled two of Google’s largest acquisitions: the $1.65 billion purchase of YouTube in 2006 and the $3.1 billion purchase of DoubleClick in 2007. In February 2014, Susan was appointed CEO of YouTube.
Ginni Rometty – CEO, IBM - Ginni heads IBM, serving in the capacities of Chairman, President, and CEO. She is the first woman to do so. Since 1991, she has held various important roles at the company and was appointed CEO and President in October of 2011.
Meg Whitman – CEO, Hewlett-Packard
Marissa Mayer – CEO, Yahoo - Marissa has been the current president and CEO of Yahoo! since 2012. Prior to her employment with Yahoo!, she worked at Google as an executive and spokesperson for over a decade.
Safra Catz – Co-CEO, Oracle - Safra has been with Oracle Corporation since April 1999. In October 2001, she joined the company’s Board of Directors and was named President of Oracle Corporation in early 2004. From November 2005 to September 2008, and from April 2011 to the present, she also served as the company’s CFO. In September of 2014, she became co-CEO, along with colleague Mark Hurd.
Angela Ahrendts – SVP, Retail, Apple - Angela is new to the tech industry, but not new to leadership positions. She served as the CEO of Burberry from 2006 to 2014, before leaving to join Apple as the Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores. In 2014, she was Apple’s highest-paid executive, earning over $70 million.
Ursula Burns – Chair-CEO, Xerox - In July 2009, Burns became the first African-American woman CEO to head a Fortune 500 company. She had worked for Xerox since 1980, beginning as an intern and climbing through the ranks for the next three decades. President Obama appointed her vice chair of the President’s Export Council in 2010
Ruth Porat – CFO, Google - After working with Morgan Stanley for decades, serving as their Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President from January 2010 to May 2015, Ruth Porat became CFO of Google on May 26, 2015.
Renee James – President, Intel - Renee James has worked at Intel for over 25 years, serving in a variety of roles. She became President of Intel Corporation in May 2013. Renee is one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent female executives and Intel’s highest-ranking woman ever.
Technology still has a reputation for being a male-dominated field, but these women and many others are proving that gender is no barrier to success.
