In recent years, the technology industry has seen an increase in the number of women leaders, who are breaking through the glass ceiling and making a significant impact in the industry. These female tech leaders are not only changing the face of technology, but also paving the way for future generations of women to enter and excel in the field. In this article, we will take a look at the top 50 famous female tech leaders around the world, their contributions to the industry, and how they have inspired and empowered others.
Importance of Women in Tech
The importance of having women in tech cannot be overstated. Historically, the technology industry has been male-dominated, and women have been underrepresented in both the workforce and leadership roles. However, research has shown that gender diversity in the tech industry is not only good for women, but it is also good for business.
Advantages of Gender Diversity in Tech
Gender diversity in tech brings numerous benefits to organizations. A diverse workforce can bring a variety of perspectives and ideas, which can lead to more innovative solutions to complex problems. Additionally, research has shown that diverse teams perform better, are more productive, and make better decisions. Gender diversity can also help to attract and retain top talent, as it signals a commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace culture.
Challenges Faced by Women in Tech
Despite the numerous benefits of gender diversity, women still face many challenges in the tech industry. These challenges include bias and discrimination, lack of support and mentorship, and a lack of representation in leadership roles. Women in tech also often face imposter syndrome, which is the feeling of inadequacy or self-doubt that can occur when one is in a role where they feel they do not belong.
Ways to Address the Gender Gap in Tech
There are many ways that individuals and organizations can work to address the gender gap in tech. One approach is to promote education and awareness around the issue, and to encourage more women to pursue careers in tech. Additionally, companies can work to create more inclusive and supportive workplace cultures, and to provide mentorship and support to women in tech. Finally, it is important for organizations to prioritize diversity and inclusion in their hiring and promotion processes, and to ensure that women have equal opportunities to advance and succeed in the industry.
Top 50 Famous Female Tech Leaders Around the World
| S.No. | Name | Company | Position | Country | Achievements |
| 1 | Ginni Rometty | IBM | Executive Chairman | United States | Oversaw IBM’s transformation into a cloud and AI company, and was named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” for ten consecutive years. |
| 2 | Sheryl Sandberg | COO | United States | Wrote the best-selling book “Lean In,” which encourages women to pursue their ambitions and overcome gender bias in the workplace. Also founded the Lean In Foundation to support women’s leadership. | |
| 3 | Safra Catz | Oracle | CEO | United States | Helped drive Oracle’s transition to a cloud-based business model, and was named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” for multiple years. |
| 4 | Susan Wojcicki | YouTube | CEO | United States | Helped build Google and oversaw the acquisition of YouTube in 2006. Named one of Time’s “100 most influential people in the world” and one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.” |
| 5 | Meg Whitman | Quibi | CEO | United States | Oversaw the expansion of eBay into a global e-commerce giant, and led Hewlett Packard Enterprise as CEO from 2011-2018. Also served as a senior executive at Disney and Procter & Gamble. |
| 6 | Angela Ahrendts | Apple | Senior Vice President of Retail | United States | Revamped Apple’s retail stores to create a more personalized experience for customers, and was named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. Also served as CEO of Burberry and led the company’s digital transformation. |
| 7 | Marissa Mayer | Lumi Labs | Co-founder | United States | Served as CEO of Yahoo from 2012-2017, and was one of Google’s earliest employees, where she played a key role in developing the company’s search algorithm. Named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. |
| 8 | Padmasree Warrior | Fable Group | Founder & CEO | India | Served as CTO of Cisco Systems and CEO of NIO USA, and was named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. Also serves on the boards of Microsoft and Spotify. |
| 9 | Susan Lyne | BBG Ventures | Founder & President | United States | Co-founded BBG Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in female-led startups, and served as CEO of AOL’s Brand Group and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Also serves on the board of The New York Times Company. |
| 10 | Whitney Wolfe Herd | Bumble | Founder & CEO | United States | Founded Bumble, a popular dating app that puts women in control, and was the youngest woman to take a company public in the United States in 2021. Named one of Time’s “100 most influential people in the world” in 2018. |
| 11 | Reshma Saujani | Girls Who Code | Founder & CEO | United States | Founded Girls Who Code, a non-profit organization that aims to close the gender gap in technology, and was named one of Fortune’s “40 Under 40” in 2011. Also served as Deputy Public Advocate for New York City. |
| 12 | Shellye Archambeau | MetricStream | Board Director | United States | Serves on the boards of Verizon, Nordstrom, and Roper Technologies, and previously served as CEO of MetricStream and Blockbuster. Named one of Forbes’ “America’s Richest Self-Made Women” in 2019. |
| 13 | Sallie Krawcheck | Ellevest | Co-founder & CEO | United States | Co-founded Ellevest, a digital investment platform for women, and previously served as CEO of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Citi Private Bank. Named one of Fortune’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. |
| 14 | Julie Sweet | Accenture | CEO | United States | Became CEO of Accenture in 2019, becoming the first woman to lead the company. Previously served as CEO of Accenture North America and was named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. |
| 15 | Ursula Burns | VEON | Chair of the Board | United States | Served as CEO of Xerox from 2009-2016, becoming the first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. Named one of Time’s “100 most influential people in the world” in 2011 and one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. Also serves on the boards of Exxon Mobil and Nestle. |
| 16 | Gwynne Shotwell | SpaceX | President & COO | United States | Joined SpaceX as its seventh employee and has helped grow the company into a leading space exploration company. Named one of Time’s “100 most influential people in the world” in 2020 and one of Forbes’ “America’s Self-Made Women” in 2021. |
| 17 | Amy Hood | Microsoft | CFO | United States | Became CFO of Microsoft in 2013, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Previously served in various finance and strategy roles at the company. Named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. |
| 18 | Weili Dai | Marvell Technology Group | Co-founder | United States | Co-founded Marvell Technology Group, a leading semiconductor company, and was named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. She is an advocate for women in technology and serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including the Global Semiconductor Alliance and the Silicon Valley Education Foundation. |
| 19 | Safra Catz | Oracle | CEO | United States | Became CEO of Oracle in 2014, becoming one of the highest-paid female executives in the world. Previously served as the company’s CFO and was named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. |
| 20 | MariaDB Foundation | MariaDB Foundation | CEO | Finland | Serves as the CEO of the MariaDB Foundation, an open-source database software company. Named one of Fortune’s “40 Under 40” in 2013 and one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. |
| 21 | Ayah Bdeir | littleBits | Founder & CEO | Lebanon | Founded littleBits, a company that creates electronic building blocks for children, and was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business” in 2013. Also serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including the Open Hardware Summit and the Museum of Modern Art’s Design and Technology Advisory Committee. |
| 22 | Maria Klawe | Harvey Mudd College | President | Canada | Serves as the president of Harvey Mudd College and has been a strong advocate for women in STEM fields. Named one of Fortune’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” in 2015 and one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. |
| 23 | Tracy Chou | Project Include | Co-founder | United States | Co-founded Project Include, a non-profit organization that works to increase diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Also served as a software engineer at several high-profile tech companies, including Pinterest and the United States Digital Service. Named one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in 2014. |
| 24 | Angie Hicks | Angie’s List | Founder | United States | Founded Angie’s List, a popular home services review site, and was named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs” in 2010. Also serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including the Indy Chamber of Commerce and the Central Indiana Community Foundation. |
| 25 | Mary Lou Jepsen | Openwater | Founder & CEO | United States | Founded Openwater, a company that is developing a high-resolution imaging system that uses holography to see inside the body. Previously served as a top executive at Facebook, Google, and Intel. Named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business” in 2017. |
| 26 | Erica Baker | Microsoft | Senior Engineering Manager | United States | Serves as a Senior Engineering Manager at Microsoft and is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Co-founded the “Project Include” initiative with Tracy Chou, Ellen Pao, and other prominent women in tech to increase diversity in the industry. Named one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in 2016. |
| 27 | Ursula Burns | VEON | Chairman | United States | Served as the CEO of Xerox from 2009 to 2016, becoming the first African American woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. Currently serves as the Chairman of VEON, a multinational telecommunications company. Named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. |
| 28 | Rana el Kaliouby | Affectiva | Co-founder & CEO | Egypt | Co-founded Affectiva, an artificial emotional intelligence company, and was named one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018. A pioneer in the field of emotional AI, she is also a TED speaker and author of the book “Girl Decoded.” |
| 29 | Sheryl Sandberg | COO | United States | Serves as the COO of Facebook and is the author of the best-selling book “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.” Prior to joining Facebook, she was the Vice President of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google. Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” multiple times. | |
| 30 | Padmasree Warrior | NIO | CEO | India | Serves as the CEO of NIO, a Chinese electric vehicle company, and was previously the Chief Technology Officer at Cisco Systems. Named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times and one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2014. |
| 31 | Megan Smith | Shift7 | CEO | United States | Serves as the CEO of Shift7, a company that uses technology to address social challenges. Previously served as the United States Chief Technology Officer under President Barack Obama and was a top executive at Google. Named one of Fortune’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” in 2017 and one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. |
| 32 | Sarah Friar | Nextdoor | CEO | Northern Ireland | Serves as the CEO of Nextdoor, a neighborhood social networking company. Previously served as the CFO of Square and was named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. |
| 33 | Reshma Saujani | Girls Who Code | Founder & CEO | United States | Founded Girls Who Code, a non-profit organization that works to close the gender gap in technology by providing computer science education to young girls. Also ran for Congress in 2010 and was named one of Fortune’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” |
| 34 | Jennifer Hyman | Rent the Runway | Co-founder & CEO | United States | Co-founded Rent the Runway, a company that allows people to rent high-end designer clothing, and has raised over $190 million in funding. Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” and one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. |
| 35 | Shellye Archambeau | MetricStream | Board Director | United States | Serves as a board director for multiple companies, including Verizon and Nordstrom, and was previously the CEO of MetricStream, a governance, risk, and compliance software company. Named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times and one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018. |
| 36 | Jean Liu | Didi Chuxing | President | China | Serves as the President of Didi Chuxing, a ride-hailing company that is one of the largest in the world. Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2017 and one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. |
| 37 | Aarthi Srinivasan | Acivilate | Co-founder & CEO | India | Co-founded Acivilate, a company that provides technology solutions for the criminal justice system, and was named one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018. Has a background in engineering and has worked at companies such as IBM and Fidelity Investments. |
| 38 | Neha Narkhede | Confluent | Co-founder & CTO | United States | Co-founded Confluent, a company that provides real-time data streaming technology, and has raised over $450 million in funding. Named one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018 and one of Fortune’s “40 Under 40” in 2017. |
| 39 | Pooja Sankar | Piazza | Founder & CEO | India | Founded Piazza, a platform for online collaboration in education, and has raised over $34 million in funding. Named one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018 and one of Fortune’s “40 Under 40” in 2015. Has a background in computer science and has worked at companies such as Oracle and Facebook. |
| 40 | Nita Ambani | Reliance Industries | Founder | India | Co-founder of the Reliance Foundation, which focuses on social causes such as education, health, and disaster response. Also serves as a board member for Reliance Industries, one of the largest conglomerates in India, and has been named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times. |
| 41 | Katia Beauchamp | Birchbox | Co-founder & CEO | United States | Co-founded Birchbox, a beauty subscription service, and has raised over $87 million in funding. Named one of Fortune’s “40 Under 40” in 2013 and one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018. |
| 42 | Jennifer Tejada | PagerDuty | CEO | United States | Serves as the CEO of PagerDuty, a company that provides digital operations management software, and has helped the company go public in 2019. Named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” and one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” in 2019. |
| 43 | Carolyn Everson | VP, Global Marketing Solutions | United States | Serves as the VP of Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook, one of the largest social media companies in the world. Has been named one of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” multiple times and one of Adweek’s “Most Powerful Women in Advertising” multiple times. | |
| 44 | Reshma Saujani | Girls Who Code | Founder & CEO | United States | Founded Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization that aims to close the gender gap in technology and engineering, and has reached over 90,000 girls in all 50 US states. Named one of Fortune’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” and one of Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women in the World” in 2018. Also an author and a former political candidate. |
| 45 | Grace Garey | Watsi | Co-founder & CEO | United States | Co-founded Watsi, a global crowdfunding platform for medical treatments, and has raised over $16 million in funding. Named one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018 and one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business” in 2015. |
| 46 | Ruth Porat | Senior VP & CFO | United States | Serves as the Senior VP and CFO of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, and has helped the company grow its revenue and profitability. Previously worked at Morgan Stanley and has been named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” multiple times. | |
| 47 | Mariya Gabriel | European Commission | European Commissioner for Digital Economy & Society | Bulgaria | Serves as the European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, and is responsible for shaping European Union policy on technology and innovation. Previously served as a member of the European Parliament, and has been named one of Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women in the World” multiple times. |
| 48 | Yan Yan | Codingame | Co-founder & CEO | France | Co-founded CodinGame, a platform for gamified programming challenges, and has raised over $2 million in funding. Named one of Forbes’ “Europe’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018 and one of France’s “40 Under 40” in 2017. |
| 49 | Rana el Kaliouby | Affectiva | Co-founder & CEO | Egypt | Co-founded Affectiva, a company that uses artificial intelligence to detect human emotions from facial expressions, and has raised over $50 million in funding. Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People” and one of Forbes’ “America’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018. Also an author and a TED speaker. |
| 50 | Leanne Kemp | Everledger | Founder & CEO | Australia | Founded Everledger, a blockchain-based platform for verifying and tracking diamonds and other high-value assets, and has raised over $20 million in funding. Named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women International” and one of Forbes’ “World’s Top 50 Women in Tech” in 2018. Also serves as Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur. |
In conclusion, women have made significant contributions to the tech industry and are continuing to do so. Gender diversity in tech is not only important for women, but it is also critical for business success. By addressing the challenges faced by women in tech and promoting diversity and inclusion in the industry, we can create a more equitable and innovative tech landscape for all.
