50 Most Powerful Women in Business

50 Most Powerful Women in Business

CEO, Asset Management

JP Morgan Chase

2011 rank: 24

Age: 45

J.P. Morgan lost nearly $6 billion (and counting) on bad bets by the ìLondon Whale,î but Erdoes's division made money by taking the other side of the trades. Revenue for her business climbed 6%, to $9.5 billion, last year, and Erdoes's assets grew to $2 trillion, a new high.

The recent promotion of a new No. 1 and No. 2 at McDonald's probably means Fields, head of the U.S. division since 2010 and a 34-year company veteran, has peaked at the Golden Arches. In a weak consumer environment McDonald's stock returned 9% this year, vs. 25% for the S&P.

President, North America Pharmaceuticals

GlaxoSmithKline

2011 rank: 25

Age: 52

Connelly's division accounts for about one-third of GSK's revenue, but sales fell almost 5%, to just over $11 billion. Earlier this year she also became CEO of Human Genome Sciences, a promising biotech firm that GSK acquired for $3 billion.

SVP, Global product development

GM

2011 rank: New

Age: 50

The highest-ranking woman in the global auto industry, Barra oversees a $15 billion engineering budget and 36,000 employees. In 2012 she's been spending one week a month in Germany, working to turn around Opel. Her star is on the rise: CEO Dan Akerson has identified Barra as a candidate to succeed him.

CEO, UnitedHealthCare, EVP UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group

2011 rank: 30

Age: 52

Wall Street likes UnitedHealth Group despite the regulatory turmoil in health insurance. Credit Boudreaux, who runs the $95-billion-a-year benefits business. Since she took the job in early 2011, UNH's stock is up 34%, while the sector climbed 27%.

President and CEO, GE Home and Business Solutions; SVP and CIO, GE

GE

2011 rank: 20

Age: 45

A weak housing market hurt Begley's $8.5 billion home and business division, which includes appliances. Operating profit last year dipped 34%, to $300 million. And while GE stock is on a tear, analysts speculate that the home solutions unit could be due for restructuring.

President and COO

Enterprise Holdings

2011 rank: 26

Age: 52

Under Nicholson's leadership, privately held Enterprise is expanding: A European acquisition last year added 30,000 vehicles to the transportation company's fleet, which totals more than 1 million cars. And Enterprise recently bought two East Coast car-sharing firms to help it take on Zipcar.

EVP, Space systems

2011 rank: 29

Age: 58

Sales in Maguire's division fell as Lockheed completed its work on the final space shuttle mission last year, but an influx of missile and satellite orders curbed the decline. Maguire increased operating margins in her $8 billion business, which accounts for 18% of Lockheed's total revenue.

President, Fidelity Personal Investing

Fidelity Investments

2011 rank: 32

Age: 49

Murphy's business last year boasted a record 13.5 million customer accounts, up from 12.7 million in 2010. Four years into the role, she has increased assets to $1.1 trillion -- another record. Murphy reports to Abigail Johnson, Fidelity's recently named president.

Chairman, NBC Universal Cable Entertainment and Cable Studios

Comcast

2011 rank: 36

Age: 62

Hammer's portfolio continues to deliver eyeballs -- and some $2 billion in 2011 profits --to NBCU: Syfy viewership increased by 10%, a rebranded E! launched several original programs, and USA remains cable's most-watched network.

EVP, Information Systems & Global Solutions

2011 rank: 33

Age: 59

Lockheed's information technology unit, which counts the FAA and Department of Energy as clients, saw 2011 sales drop as work associated with the U.S. Census ended. Her business is bigger in terms of sales than fellow EVP Maguire's, but Gooden's operating margin is lower.

CEO

Frontier Communications

2011 rank: 37

Age: 57

She's not just a little sister of Campbell Soup CEO Denise Morrison (No. 18). Wilderotter is a four-time MPW lister who runs a $5.2-billion-in-revenue telecom company. Though tiny compared with AT&T and Verizon, Frontier trades in line with the big boys.

EVP, Global People Division

Wal-Mart Stores

2011 rank: 22

Age: 55

Chambers is responsible for Wal-Mart's 2-millionñplus associates (that's roughly on par with the population of Houston), and she reports to CEO Mike Duke. The global ethics office is also under her purview. It is an area of focus as Wal-Mart faces allegations of bribery in its Mexico operations.

President and CEO

A&E Television Networks

2011 rank: 40

Age: 59

In July, NBCUniversal sold its 15.8% stake in A&E Networks to Disney and Hearst in a deal that valued the venture at $20 billion. Raven is pushing the group into new areas. History Channel this year broadcast Hatfields & McCoys, an original series whose May premiere averaged 17.2 million viewers.

President and CEO

BAE Systems Inc.

2011 rank: 34

Age: 62

Sales fell in 2011 for both the U.K.-based defense company and its U.S. subsidiary, headed by Hudson, as troops withdrew from Iraq and customers awaited news of military budgets. Hudson cut headcount and tried to make BAE's corporate offices more efficient. In August she joined the Bank of America board.

Reed succeeded Donald Felsinger as CEO of the $10-billion-in-revenue energy-services company last summer; the two have worked together since Sempra's inception in 1998. In June, Reed launched the Sunrise Powerlink, a $1.8 billion project that uses a 500,000-volt transmission line to link San Diego to the Imperial Valley.

Worldwide Chairman, Global Medical Solutions

2011 rank: New

Age: 53

When J&J pharma chairman Sheri McCoy decamped to Avon this year, Licitra emerged as the highest-ranking woman at the company. In 2011 her division accounted for $9 billion of the medical-device unit's $25.8 billion in revenue.

Chairman, NBCUniversal News Group, NBCUniversal

Comcast

2011 rank: Return

Age: 58

In July, Comcast-controlled NBCU named Fili-Krushel to head up a new group, overseeing a lucrative but battle-scarred portfolio that includes NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, and the Weather Channel. A trusted lieutenant of NBCU honcho Steve Burke, Fili-Krushel needs to revive Today's sliding ratings.

President and CEO

BJ's Wholesale Club

2011 rank: 44

Age: 56

The private equity companies that acquired BJ's for $2.8 billion last year endorsed Sen's leadership by retaining her as CEO. She says BJ's, which trails Costco and Wal-Mart's Sam's Club with sales of about $11 billion, will open five stores annually for the next five years.

Chairman, CEO and President

Ingredion

2011 rank: 42

Age: 59

Corn Products changed its name to Ingredion this year, reflecting a push to diversify. Gordon is leading the charge with deals such as the 2010 acquisition of specialty-starch business National Starch. She is broadening Ingredion's portfolio -- and its revenue too. Sales last year topped $6.2 billion.

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