Mary Barra

This woman is first female CEO of a Big Three automaker.

When Mary Barra took over General Motors in 2014, she didn’t just break a glass ceiling... she took control of a $50B giant in an industry dominated by men.

But she wasn’t new to GM.

She had started at 18, inspecting fender panels as a co-op student, climbing every rung of the ladder over four decades.

Then came the real test.

Months into her tenure, GM was hit with a massive recall crisis linked to over 100 deaths.

She faced Congress head-on, overhauled company culture, and changed safety policies from the ground up.

She’s led GM’s pivot to electric and autonomous vehicles, investing billions in EVs, acquiring self-driving startups, and setting a bold deadline: a fully electric lineup by 2035.

Along the way, she made tough calls… shutting down factories, cutting jobs, and clashing with a U.S. president.

Her impact hasn’t gone unnoticed.

She’s been ranked #1 on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list multiple times, made the Time 100, and joined Forbes’ 50 Over 50.

In 2023, she became the first woman inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.