Businesses globally are witnessing an increased female representation, with a steady growth of women in leadership roles. Women’s participation in the worlds of technology and entrepreneurship is paving the way for a more inclusive, innovative and collaborative corporate world. Moreover, numerous studies have shown that women-led businesses tend to make more money than their male counterparts. So, pushing for more women in leadership positions makes perfect business sense as well.

Here are three women business leaders who have made it to the top while breaking barriers at each step of their journey.

Mary Barra:

It was indeed a first in the history of the ‘Big three’ automakers when Mary Barra became the CEO of General Motors in 2014. 

Barra started her journey at General Motors in 1980 as a co-op student. This job helped her pay for her college tuition, and she eventually graduated with a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering in 1985. Later, she obtained her Masters's in Business Administration from Stanford Graduate School of Business on a GM fellowship. 

Prior to being appointed the CEO, Barra held various senior roles in the organization, ranging from Product Development to Supply Chain Management.

Barra’s leadership style is innovative, inclusive & progressive. As part of her vision for the future of  General Motors, the automaker ventured into driverless and electric-powered cars. She is focused on transforming personal mobility through advanced technologies and autonomous driving. Mary is leading the way for gender equality in the automotive industry with GM consistently scoring high in Gender Equity reports. It was one of the only two global businesses with no gender pay gap in 2018. She believes that the auto industry will fundamentally change with a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

Barra starred in some of the world’s most prestigious power & leadership rankings. She was ranked No.1 in Fortune’s Most Powerful Women of 2017, and also featured on Time’s cover for “100 Most Influential People in the World”.

Tessa Wijaya

Tessa is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of the Indonesian fin-tech startup Xendit, which reached the status of ‘unicorn’ in September 2021. 

Wijaya received her undergraduate degree from Syracuse University. Later, she obtained her postgraduate qualification from the University of Sydney.

Afterwards, she worked in a private equity firm in Jakarta as an analyst. With no prior knowledge of traditional finance, she put in extra effort to study the industry outside her work hours. Although she struggled to be heard as one of only a few women on the team, she was determined to make a mark. While closely working with start-ups, she observed the rising trend of technology businesses in South Asia. She realized the need for a reliable payments platform in Indonesia and began working on a new payments platform with a group of students from the University of California, Berkeley. And that’s how the Xendit miracle started off, six years ago.

With an almost 45% female workforce at Xendit, Wijaya is on a mission to mitigate the lack of opportunities for women in finance and women in technology. She wants to set an example of inclusive leadership and innovation for young girls, in the exciting world of fintech. Xendit runs a mentorship scheme called ‘Women in Tech’, for other women and girls aspiring to play their part in the technology revolution. She believes that more women in leadership positions can really make a difference in the way we approach and execute business strategies.

Hana Al-Rostamani

Hana was named the Group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank in 2021, being the only female CEO of the group. Previously, she was the Deputy Group Chief Officer and Head of Personal Banking at FAB where she led the bank’s vision toward customer-centricity and digitization. 

She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from GW School of Business, USA. Afterwards, she studied for a Master’s in Information Management at George Washington University. Later, she obtained a qualification in Banking and Management while studying for a programme offered by The Chartered Banker Institute, UK. 

With 20 years of experience in the banking and financial services industry, Hana is known as a change leader with a focus on diversity, inclusion and innovation. Rostamani also serves as a board member at AW Rostamani Group, the chairperson of FAB Private Bank Suisse, and a member of MasterCard Advisory.

Hana is the highest-ranked female brand guardian CEO in the Middle East. She was also ranked among Forbes’ ‘The World’s Most Powerful Women’ in 2021 for her contributions to improving the gender gap in the banking and financial services industry. 

Inspirational women like Mary, Tessa and Hana are leading the way for an equitable and inclusive future. They have set their mark on the world stage and have proven that no setbacks can stop you if you reach for your goals with utmost passion and perseverance.