Inspirational Women in Business
Running a business used to be solely a man’s arena. Even as little as fifty years ago women were often confined to administrative or secretarial roles in businesses. But now women are at the top of their game, bringing valuable insight, experience and prowess into a number of ever expanding business areas. Fancy yourself CEO of your own company? Take a look at our top 5 inspirational women in business!
Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook
Sheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, otherwise known as Mark Zuckerberg’s number two. When she is not immersed in social media, she is an activist, author (check out her book Lean In) and sits on the board of several other business giants such as Disney and Survey Monkey.
Mary Barra, CEO General Motors
The automotive industry is notorious for being dominated by men, but Mary Barra has worked her way up to CEO of General Motors-the first woman in history to do so for a Big 8 automaker. This has earned her accolades in Forbes, Fortune and Time 100. Mary hasn’t shied away from tough company decisions either, this year outlining a future strategy which includes the possible termination of the Chevrolet brand in Europe.
Jacqueline Gold, CEO Ann Summers
Jacqueline Gold joined her father’s organisation aged only nineteen. Since then, she has revolutionised the company, making it more female friendly and establishing the now famous Ann Summers Party. She has managed to transform Ann Summers into a socially acceptable shop located on the high street and has encouraged women to embrace their sexuality.
Susan Wojcicki, CEO, YouTube
As Google’s highest ranking woman, Susan is an impressive figure in the social media racket. Formerly Senior Vice President and Ads and E-Commerce manager, Google announced Susan as CEO of YouTube in 2014. Have you ever been concerned about juggling a career and a family life? Then fear not, Susan is also a proud mother of five children!
Colette Ballou, Founder & CEO of Ballou PR
Although not part of a powerhouse, such as Google and Facebook, Colette Ballou’s PR company, Ballou PR, is making big waves in Europe. The company now has offices in London, Berlin and Paris and was responsible for the introduction of Facebook into France. In her spare time Colette is a public speaker and champion of European start-up companies and events.
CU’s Management and Leadership courses are a great opportunity to realise your full potential and get you on the right track to succeed in business. Find out more at CU Coventry, CU Scarborough and CU London’s websites. Plus CU’s Careers and Employability team can help you secure that all important work experience or graduate job.