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2017 was a historic year in so many ways – one of them being the record number of women leading Fortune 500 companies garnering limelight from around the world. Some would argue it was a dark year for women the world over, given that reports of prevalent sexism in Silicon Valley, at nation’s top law firms, and several other industries and institutions, were omnipresent. But there were bright spots to be discerned as well – Women who served as embodiments of strength, dedication and passion and who demonstrated to a younger generation of women that any dream can be achieved if you have the courage to pursue it.

1. Mary Barra, General Motors

Mary T. Barra was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. She is the Chairman and CEO of General Motors. Barra graduated from General Motors Institute in Electrical Engineering. She then received her Master’s in Business Administration from Stanford Graduate School of Business on a GM fellowship program. The 56-year-old became CEO of the corporation in January 2014 – becoming the first CEO of a major global automaker. She started working with GM at the age of 18 years as a co-op student in 1980 and held a number of administrative and engineering positions. The most compelling aspect of her success story is that she grew up in a middle-class family and ended up leading the world’s second-largest automaker giant. She topped the Forbes list of World’s Most Powerful Business Women for three consecutive years in 2017. She is undoubtedly an inspiration for women who dare to dream big and live their dreams.

2. Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo

A favor de cotas para mulheres em altos cargos, feminista, indiana, mãe, #IndraNooyi, CEO da @pepsico é uma das mulheres mais poderosas do mundo – e quer empoderar outras. Ela está no Brasil para lançar o programa #MulheresComPropósito, que irá capacitar duas mil trabalhadoras, 50% negras, em até cinco anos. #repost @marieclairebr

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Indra Nooyi is the Chairman and CEO of the world’s fourth largest company, PepsiCo. She was born in October 1955 into a conservative Tamil family in Chennai. She completed her graduation from Madras Christian College and completed her postgraduate education at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta in Management. She started her career with Johnson & Johnson and joined PepsiCo in 1994, quickly ring up the ranks to become CEO in 2006. Nooyi is the one of highest paid women in business in the US, according to the Forbes magazine. She received the Padma Bhushan in 2007 from the President of India and was recently named the World’s Second Most Powerful Business Women by Forbes.

3. Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin

Marillyn Hewson was born in Junction City, Kansas and graduated in business administration. She postgraduate in Economics from the University of Alabama. She is currently serving as Chairman, President, and CEO of the world’s largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin. She took over as the CEO in 2013 and since then she brought record profits to the company. In 2017, she ranked 3rd in Forbes World’s Most Powerful Woman list. Lockheed’s stock price has risen manifold over the past year under her direction.

4. Abigail Johnson, Fidelity Investments

Abigail Johnson is the President and CEO of Fidelity Investments since 2014. Abigail was born on December 19, 1961, and is descended from an old Boston Brahmin family. Fidelity Investments was founded by her grandfather, and upon her graduation from Harvard Business School, Abigail started an apprenticeship at Fidelity as an analyst. She was named Chairman, CEO, and President of Fidelity in November 2016. With a net worth of US $ 1.57 billion, she is one of the richest women in the world. Forbes ranked her 4th among the most powerful women across the globe in 2017.

5. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook

Don’t underestimate women entrepreneurs. There are women behind almost every high power organization. Sheryl Sandberg is an example of a powerful business leader. She is the chief operating officer of Facebook and she is our terrific woman this Tuesday! Click the link in my bio to learn more about her! #terrificwomantuesday

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Sheryl Sandberg is an American businesswoman and best known for being the COO of Facebook. Sheryl was born on August 28, 1969, in Washington DC. She went to Harvard for her bachelor’s degree in economics and worked at the World Bank after graduation. She worked in the U.S. Department of the Treasury during the Clinton administration. In the year 2008, she became the COO of Facebook and has since been helping it scale its operations and expand its footprint in the world. In 2012, she was inducted into Facebook’s Board of Directors as the first female member. Sheryl Sandberg has been ranked among the most powerful women by ‘Forbes’ many times in the past and currently ranks fifth on the list. Her net worth was $1.53 Billion as of 2017.