Five Women to Watch

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Aug 29, 2012

Actress Sofia Vergara arrives for the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Saturday, April 28, 2012. Photographer: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg.

Forbes recently released its list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. While many people are familiar with the work of Hillary Clinton or Oprah Winfrey, here’s a look at five women on the list that you might not be aware of—or at least not aware of their business prowess.

Susan Wojcicki, Senior Vice President, Google
Heard of Google Analytics? You can thank Susan Wojcicki for that. Not only has she been with Google from the beginning (she rented out her garage to founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page back in 1998), but she’s also the senior vice president of advertising at Google and the reason why those banner ads have a preternatural way of knowing precisely what products interest you.

Jan Fields, President, McDonald's USA
The next time you need a meal on the go, consider McDonald’s. The fast food giant has been lowering calories, swapping fruit for desserts in Happy Meals, and cutting down on the portion size of its fries. Jan Fields has led the company’s U.S. division in a more health-conscious direction, all while growing sales.

Sofia Vergara, Actress, Entrepreneur
Beautiful. Talented. Entrepreneurial? Sofia Vergara is more than a pretty face. You may know her as the star of ABC’s Modern Family, but she’s also the co-founder of LatinWE, a 16-year-old Hispanic talent management and entertainment-marketing firm, which made $27 million last year.

Sun Yafang, Chair, Huawei Technologies
Heading the marketing, human resources, and R&D of any business isn’t easy, but Sun Yafang has managed to help take Huawei from a local business to a global networking and telecommunications company. She’s also dedicated to corporate social responsibility, leading Huawei to work on the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals by bringing broadband to communities around the world.

Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Imagine overseeing 800 grants that dedicate nearly $350 million per year to helping Americans live healthier lives. It’s all in a day’s work for Risa Lavizzo-Mourey. Under her leadership, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is continuing its work with the private sector to bring businesses and communities together to improve wellness while reducing costs. 

The U.S. Chamber’s Center for Women in Business is always on the lookout for successful women. Who do you think are the most powerful women in business today? Share in the comments below.