Virginia Rometty
Technology reached a major milestone last October when Ginni Rometty was named CEO of IBM. A Northwestern-trained computer scientist and electrical engineer, Rometty, 54, became the first woman to head the storied technology company. Women in the workplace and women in technology will be key drivers of global competitiveness and innovation in the future. On both fronts, Ginni provides tremendous inspiration.
IBM has excelled not only globally but also locally — thanks in no small part to Rometty, a 30-year company veteran. Her commitment to emerging markets is partly why IBM has thrived in countries like India, China and Brazil. She's also been an advocate for corporate responsibility, supporting IBM's efforts in education as well as initiatives to operate its supply chains locally to boost small business and job growth in the U.S.
In her new role, her impact will only be amplified. IBM spends a whopping $6 billion a year on R&D. With that investment and platform, Rometty will undoubtedly bring to bear innumerable technological breakthroughs — a big reason IBM's stock trades at record highs.
Mayer is the vice president of product management at Google