Auto logout in seconds.
Continue Logout
Fortune recently released its latest Most Powerful Women list, highlighting leaders who command boardrooms, markets, and industries — including six in healthcare.
About the list
To create the list, Fortune's editors evaluated each candidate on the following metrics:
- Size of the business: This metric accounts for mid-term (three-year) and short-term (past 12 months) revenue and profit growth, profitability, and market value.
- Health of the business: This metric is based on 12-month measures of liquidity, operating efficiency, and solvency.
- Innovation: The metric evaluates whether the candidate accomplished something no one else has before and if competitors followed suit after.
- Influence: The metric measures how much the candidate's behavior shapes the actions of others.
- Trajectory: This metric assesses where the candidate is in the arc of their career.
- Impact: This metric assesses how the candidate uses their power to improve the world.
Overall, the list includes 100 female leaders at 94 different companies with a combined 11.8 million employees and $7.3 trillion in annual revenue. The women on the list hold 180 board seats and work in 20 different countries and territories. The United States has the most female leaders on the list, followed by China, France, and the United Kingdom.
"In its 29th year, this iconic list of powerful women includes almost half from outside of the U.S., reminding us that the impact of women's leadership is being seen globally," said Alyson Shontell, Fortune's editor-in-chief and chief content officer. "These are women transforming business today and preparing for a future during a time of tumult and uncertainty, but also great promise."
related resources
- Q&A: How 4 women are leading the way in healthcare
- Becoming an ally: What women leaders want you to know
- Your organization likely doesn't have enough women leaders — here's how to fix that
- How the healthcare leadership gender imbalance hurts your organization — and 4 ways to make a change
- 3 ways executives can build a culture that supports diversity and inclusion
The healthcare leaders on the Most Powerful Women list
Although leaders in tech and finance largely dominated the list, six healthcare leaders also made the Most Powerful Women list:
9. Reshma Kewalramani, president and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals
26. Jennifer Taubert, EVP and worldwide chair of innovative medicine at Johnson & Johnson
59. Belén Garijo, CEO of Sanofi
63. Sarah London, CEO of Centene
78. Shaista Asif, cofounder and group CEO of PureHealth
81. Gail Boudreaux, president and CEO of Elevance Health
See the full list of leaders here.
(Fortune About the 2026 list of the Most Powerful Women in Business, accessed 6/2; Fortune methodology, accessed 6/2; Fortune Most Powerful Women list, accessed 6/2; Kuchno, Becker's Hospital Review, 5/28; PR Newswire, 5/27)
Don't miss out on the latest Advisory Board insights
Create your free account to access 1 resource, including the latest research and webinars.
Want access without creating an account?
You have 1 free members-only resource remaining this month.
1 free members-only resources remaining
1 free members-only resources remaining
You've reached your limit of free insights
Become a member to access all of Advisory Board's resources, events, and experts
Never miss out on the latest innovative health care content tailored to you.
Benefits include:
Unlimited access to research and resources
Member-only access to events and trainings
Expert-led consultation and facilitation
The latest content delivered to your inbox
You've reached your limit of free insights
Become a member to access all of Advisory Board's resources, events, and experts
Never miss out on the latest innovative health care content tailored to you.
Benefits include:
Unlimited access to research and resources
Member-only access to events and trainings
Expert-led consultation and facilitation
The latest content delivered to your inbox
This content is available through your Curated Research partnership with Advisory Board. Click on ‘view this resource’ to read the full piece
Email ask@advisory.com to learn more
Click on ‘Become a Member’ to learn about the benefits of a Full-Access partnership with Advisory Board
Never miss out on the latest innovative health care content tailored to you.
Benefits Include:
Unlimited access to research and resources
Member-only access to events and trainings
Expert-led consultation and facilitation
The latest content delivered to your inbox
This is for members only. Learn more.
Click on ‘Become a Member’ to learn about the benefits of a Full-Access partnership with Advisory Board
Never miss out on the latest innovative health care content tailored to you.
Benefits Include:
Unlimited access to research and resources
Member-only access to events and trainings
Expert-led consultation and facilitation
The latest content delivered to your inbox
