Highest Paid Women CEOs

Forbes’ 2008 list of highest paid female CEOs in America, released yesterday.

1. Indra Nooyi (PepsiCo)

Nooyi was born Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi in Chennai,India and received her early education in her native country before enrolling into the prestigious Yale School of Management for her master’s degree. She worked with a number of multinational corporations including Boston Consulting Group, Motorola and ABB before joining PepsiCo in 1994. Soon after appointed CEO in 2006, Nooyi led the company to double its profits only after 1 year.

2007 compensation: $12.7 million.

2. Andrea Jung (Avon)

Born to a high profile Chinese couple, Andrea Jung was raised in Massachusetts, United States and graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, currently the number 1 ranked university ahead of Harvard and Stanford. Andrea joined Avon in 1994 as President for the Product Marketing Group. She was elected as the CEO of Avon Products in 1999, appointed Chairman 2 years later, and holds a portfolio in the board room since 1998.

2007 compensation: $12 million.

3. Anne Mulcahy (Xerox)

Anne Mulcahy, a graduate of Art from Marymount College, New York, has been appointed as the CEO of Xerox Corporation since August 2001. But the appointment did not come after 25 years long of service. She joined the company as a lowly ranked sales representative in 1976 and started her way climbing up to the top from there. She was responsible for various HR functions including compensation, labor relation, employee training and development before appointed as Vice President in 1998.

2007 compensation: $11 million.

4. Susan Ivey (Reynolds American)

Susan Ivey is the Chairman and CEO of Reynolds American, which controls about one-third of all cigarettes marketed and distributed in the whole of the United States. Upon graduation, she started her career with Brown & Williamson Tobacco, whose company eventually merged with Reynolds, with her appointed as the CEO, and later promoted as Chairman. Ivey holds a degree from University of Florida and an MBA from Bellarmine College. Her other appointment includes as the marketing director for British American Tobacco.

2007 compensation: $7.2 million.

5. Christina Gold (Western Union)

Christina Gold took helm as the President and CEO of Western Union in September 2006. With operation in more than 200 countries worldwide, Western Union is simply the largest money-transfer company in the world. Before joining Western Union in 2002, the graduate from Carleton University, Canada was already enjoying a sterling career with a number of corporate giants including Avon, Excel Communications and The Beaconsfield Group. Gold was named among 50 Most Powerful Women in 2006 by Fortune.

2007 compensation: $5.7 million.

6. Carol Meyrowitz (TJX)

TJX is one of the largest apparel and fashion department stores in the United States. Carol Meyrowitz accepted a challenging task as the President and CEO of the company in 2006, after more than 20 years of service. She however temporarily left in 2005 to pursue other interest and challenges but came back a year later before taking the current portfolio. Carol was also included in the 50 Most Powerful Women in 2006.

2007 compensation: $5.7 million.

7. Brenda Barnes (Sara Lee)

Before joining Sara Lee, Brenda Barnes already holds a string of accomplishments, including the first woman CEO for PepsiCo (the second being Indra Nooyi above), and listed by Forbes among the 100 Most Powerful Women for several years, including in top 10 for 2005 and 2006. After leaving PepsiCo in 1997, Brenda took a career break to fulfil her commitment to family while taking a few job offers. She came back at full swing in 2004 after being appointed the President of Sara Lee, and later promoted to CEO.

2007 compensation: $5.1 million.

8. Dona Young (Phoenix Companies)

Dona D Young has been holding the CEO post for Phoenix Companies since 2003, one of the longest helms in the top 10 list. Phoenix Companies is the holding company of Phoenix Investment Partners Limited, a major finance and investment corporation. Interestingly enough, Dona is one of the few top executives who did not graduate from finance related degree. She received her Masters in Political Science from Drew University, and JD from Connecticut School of Law.

2007 compensation: $4.7 million.

9. Irene Rosenfeld (Kraft Foods)

Irene Rosenfeld is a no stranger in the international food and beverage business, with over 25 years of deep involvement in the industry. Her earlier career in food sector started in the advertising and research but later evolved to various functions, as her leadership skill blossomed. She had been a key figure in re-structuring Kraft’s business in the US, Mexico and Canada with impressive turnaround results. Irene assumed the CEO post for Kraft Foods in June 2006, and appointed Chairman a year later.

2007 compensation: $4.4 million.

10. Angela Braly (Wellpoint)

Angela Braly obtained her academic credentials from Texas Tech University and Southern Methodist University of Law. Like Dona Young, her background is more related to law than finance, and in fact, she was a partner of one of the leading law firms in St. Louis, United States. But that did not stop her to rock the corporate world as today, she is the CEO and President of WellPoint, an American based health and insurance benefits company.

2007 compensation: $4.1 million.

Other posts you may want to read:

1. 10 Highest Paid CEOs (2009)
2. Highest Paid CEOs in Malaysia
3. Most Powerful Women In 2008
4. 15 Highest Paid Young CEOs in US
5. 10 Most Powerful Women in The World
6. Top 10 Law Schools in the United States (2008/09)
7. The Highest Paid CEOs in 2008
8. The Golden Rules of Success

Author's bio: Zul is the founder and principal contributor for the SKOR Career blog. He is the author of two books, The Malaysian Job Seeker's Dilemma and Buat Duit Tanpa Kerja Makan Gaji (How to Make Money Without a Job), available in major book stores nationwide. You can reach him at zulkiflimusa[at]gmail.com.