This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UAB chapter.

According to CNBC News, out of the 2018 Fortune 500 companies, only 24 CEOs are women. In 2017, the number was high as 32, which means that there has been a 25 percent decrease within the year. This leads me to why so many major US companies still have so few women CEOs. Indira Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, comments that there is still a misconception among society that women are supposed to balance work and family while men don’t have to. However, this is not true, Nooyi believes that balancing work and family should be a problem for women and men.

As a business major, seeing more women lead major industries is very inspiriting and motivational. It proves that women are capable of doing more than taking care of their families. Even though there is nothing wrong with that, it shows young girls everywhere that they don’t have to limit themselves and can do whatever they want.

Here are 5 powerful current and former CEOs:

1. Indira Nooyi

Indira Nooyi in an Indian American who was the former CEO and now serving as chairwoman of PepsiCo, the second largest food and beverage business in the world. She was born in Tamil Nadu, India and later moved to America where she studied her masters at Yale School of Management. Nooyi has been ranked several times on the Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. In 2015 She was even ranked #2 for most powerful women among Fortune 500 companies. Her net worth estimates to nearly $80 million. She comes from a conservative south Indian family and culture where girls were never allowed to reach their full potential. Nooyi did not allow the social and cultural norms of South India to limit her to be a successful businesswoman. She believes that if you do what you believe in and give it your all, you’ll always be successful.

2. Maria Eitel

Maria Eitel is the founding CEO and President of the Nike Foundation, the Girl Effect. Since 2005, the Nike Foundation has been investing in young girls and their future in developing countries. This led to the initiative called the Girl Effect, which helps with bettering the lives of millions of young girls living below the poverty in developing countries. After she got her masters at Georgetown University, she went to work for Microsoft and Former President George H. W. Bush as a special assistant. Eitel had a passion for being the underdog and this was led her to Girl Effect because it was innovative, but also impactful for improving the lives of millions of young girls.

3. Mary T. Barra

Mary Barra is the CEO and Chairwoman of the largest American automobile manufacturer and #10 ranked Fortune 500, General Motors Company. In fact, She is the first female CEO of a major global automaker. In 2015, Barra was ranked #1 Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women. She was so driven with her future goals that she started working in the automobile industry as early as 18 and paid her way through college. Mary Barra now has a net with accumulating to nearly $39 million.

4. Jessica O. Matthews

Jessica O. Matthews is a Nigerian-American CEO of Uncharted Power. At only age 19, Matthews invented SOCCKET, a soccer ball that has the ability to generate and store energy as a source of power for developing countries. Matthews attended Harvard Business school for both her undergrad and graduate school. At the age of 22, She founded, Uncharted Power, an initiative she started with her friends in college which helps developing countries with renewable energy. She even was invited to the White House back in 2012, for her impressive and impactful work as a small business. Matthews is proving to women everywhere that age is just a number and you can always follow your dreams no matter how old you are.

5. Ginni Rometty

Ginni Rometty is an American CEO of one of the largest technology companies in the US and the world, IBM. Rometty came from a low-income family in Chicago and diligently worked her way up in the technology industry. Her current net worth accumulates nearly $33 million, making her the third richest woman CEO in the world. Rommetty believes that in order to succeed in life you must go out of your comfort one and follow your gut.

5 Inspiring Female CEOs

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