Men have dominated many industries through the decades, but that is changing. Women leaders are stepping into top executive positions and preparing their companies to thrive into a dynamic future.
Some industries have historically been dominated by men, including manufacturing, automotive, technology, and finance. Yet, there are women leaders at the top of their companies in these industries who have achieved enormous success through innovation and change leadership. They have redefined what leadership can look like, changed organizational cultures, and reshaped how organizations produce long-term value in a dynamic business environment by persistently overcoming barriers and demonstrating strategic vision. The following are five women from among the many who have paved the way for women in male-dominated industries.
Mary Barra Redefines Leadership in Automotive Manufacturing
In 2014, Mary Barra became CEO of General Motors in 2014, after rising through the ranks. In 2016, she was elected Chair. As the first female CEO of one of the three largest U.S. automakers, she is more than a role model. Barra is a businesswoman who had to stop the downward slide of the iconic manufacturer and is now transforming the company through technology, including autonomous driving, electrification, and software-driven platforms. As one of the world’s most scrutinized and watched executives, she emphasizes transparency, accountability, and innovation. Barra’s leadership is repositioning the giant automaker for long-term success through adaptability and flexibility.
“What I always say is, 'Do every job you're in like you're going to do it for the rest of your life, and demonstrate that ownership of it.”
Gini Rometty Makes Bold Changes as IBM’s CEO
Now retired, Gini Rometty began working at IBM in 1981 as a systems engineer. In 2012, she became the Chairman, President, and CEO at a time when the company needed to adapt to survive. She retired in 2020 with an impressive legacy as a change agent. Barra is recognized for leading a 100-year-old company through a transformation as it shifted away from hardware sales to new technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and now quantum technology. She championed IBM Watson, the AI platform, expanded the hybrid cloud business, and oversaw the $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat. Rometty also supported skills-based hiring rather than degree-based hiring, a practice now widely accepted in the technology industry. During her tenure, 50% of IBM’s portfolio was reinvented.
“I learned to always take on things I'd never done before. Growth and comfort do not coexist.”
Jane Fraser Modernizes the Global Banking Company Citi
After joining Citi in 2004, Jane Fraser became CEO in 2021 and, in 2025, added the title of Chair of the Board. She is the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank. Banking has been one of the industries most male-dominated at management levels. After the 2008 global financial collapse, Fraser, as CEO, was prepared to restructure the company to refocus on international wealth management, cross-border institutional needs, and U.S. personal banking, while simplifying operations. Restructuring a global financial company is a complex process involving all aspects of the business. Fraser restructured the organization’s structure and culture, exited non-productive assets, and flattened the management layers. Fraser has modernized Citi’s technology and is transforming back-office systems. She is a pioneering woman recognized for her strategic vision and for blending technical expertise with empathy as a leader.
“I strongly believe in excellence and empathy, and empathy to me is the big ears. It's listening. It's putting yourself in somebody else's shoes. And if I was in their shoes, how would I want to hear bad news or good news?”
Dr. Lisa Su: The Architect Behind AMD’s Historic Transformation
Dr. Lisa Su joined AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) in 2012 as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Global Business Units. She is now the Chair and CEO, leading the company’s transformation into an adaptive computing leader with AI solutions and the next generation of computing. She is credited with managing one of the greatest recent business turnarounds in the technology industry. As CEO, she unified AMD’s business units, operations, sales, and infrastructure into a single organization. Su pushes the boundaries of semiconductor chip innovation, which she says is at the heart of American innovation and crucial to the nation’s national security and economic growth. After growing market capitalization 85-fold, Su is leading AMD into the future, with new growth fueled by a broad product portfolio and a deepening strategic partnership.
“The best thing you can do is learn from those mistakes so that you continue to get better. That's the management style or leadership style I believe in, which is push people to their limit such that they can become better than they thought they could be.”
Gail Boudreaux’s Transforms Anthem from the Corner Office
Gail Boudreaux is a trailblazer in the health industry. Named CEO of Anthem (now Elevance Health) in 2017, she has focused on turning the company into a holistic health provider rather than just a health insurance provider. She spearheaded the rebranding of Anthem to Elevance Health in 2022 and began the process of expanding products and services beyond insurance. By focusing on digital transformation to reach more people, Boudreaux has expanded the business portfolio to include services such as IngenioRX. In 2024, Elevance announced the Whole Health Index, a holistic assessment that considers all the factors impacting patient health – physical, social, and behavioral. Under her leadership, first Anthem and now Elevance Health has expanded its capabilities in care delivery partnerships, consumer-centric solutions, and analytics.
“The Billie Jean King quote, 'Pressure is a privilege, ' is an important concept, and it goes hand-in-hand with success. It’s positive and a privilege to be in a position to make a difference, and you should embrace that, lean into it, and define success by what you are able to accomplish in a broader way than personally.”
Out With Tradition and In With Innovation
The leadership of these successful women has transformed industries and instituted successful policies. Some of the changes now widely accepted were considered radical in their industries at the time, i.e., skills-based hiring. They have a lot in common. They are change agents who transform organizations through innovative thinking, while making a positive impact on people and society. The women leaders believe failure is not the end of something but rather an opportunity to learn. They are problem-solvers.
Each has assumed a top leadership position in a male-dominated industry, creating a new path for women's success. The organizations they lead or have led have experienced phenomenal growth, proving once again that women bring new perspectives, talents, competencies, and capabilities to leadership positions that meet the needs of organizations in transition. Their impact shapes industries, not by following tradition, but through adaptability, strategic vision, performance, and a willingness to innovate.