FORTUNE'S 2015 MOST POWERFUL WOMEN ARE...

• The Most Powerful Women in the U.S.—and worldwide. Fortune's 2015 list of the Most Powerful Women in U.S. Business is our most competitive yet, with a new No. 1, 12 new faces and a record 27 CEOs—19 of whom are leading Fortune 500 companies. At the top of the list: GM CEO Mary Barra, who made headlines this week for agreeing to a massive $900 million settlement over defective ignition-switches. Click here for the full rankings.

For a global perspective, check out Fortune's Most Powerful Women in International Business lists. A full 19 countries are represented, with executives from China and the UK dominating the rankings. Chanda Kochhar, CEO of India's giant ICICI Bank, is No. 1 on the Asia-Pacific list, while Ana Botin, who heads Spain's Banco Santander, tops the rankings of businesswomen in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

POWERFUL PROFILES

• Apple's MPW. Fortune has the exclusive first interview with former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts (No. 16 on the Fortune MPW list) since she arrived at Apple to lead its retail business. The focus of Ahrendts' overhaul may surprise you. by Jennifer Reingold

• The Google Effect. Google has become the top training ground for women leaders—so why do so many of them quit for top jobs at younger startups? Fortune also has the inside story on how the tech giant lured Ruth Porat (No. 26) from Morgan Stanley to be its new CFO. by Pattie Sellers

• A drug queenpin. Heather Bresch (No. 22), CEO of generic-drug giant Mylan, is the Most Powerful Woman in pharma. But while this dauntless daughter of a U.S. Senator recently outfoxed a hostile takeover bid, she is still fighting for Wall Street's respect. by Jen Wieczner

• The force is strong in this one. Kathleen Kennedy's (No. 42) career is like a story out of Hollywood: She went from secretary to studio boss. Now, the prolific producer of some of the top-grossing movies in history is leading Lucasfilm and overseeing what's likely to be the holiday blockbuster: Star Wars: The Force Awakens. by Michal Lev-Ram

• Healthy business. Meet Helena Foulkes (No. 14), president of CVS/pharmacy and a driving force behind the drugstore chain's lauded—but risky—move to stop selling tobacco products. That bold decision is just the first step in Foulkes' plan to transform CVS into an even bigger healthcare power player. by Phil Wahba

• Spy story. Phebe Novakovic (No. 10) is CEO of $31 billion defense contractor General Dynamics—and a former CIA operative. This fascinating story digs into Novakovic's shadowy past and explores whether she's got what it takes to lead General Dynamics on its next mission. by Carla Anne Robbins

• Saudi sisterhood. When she joined her father's Olayan Financing Co. in 1983, Lubna Olayan (No. 16 on the Europe, Middle East and Africa MPW list) was the only woman employed by the Saudi Arabia-based conglomerate. Now, she is CEO and leading a charge to bring Saudi women into the workforce. by Erika Fry

INSIDE THE MPW LIST

• Charlie meets the MPW. Pattie Sellers went on Charlie Rose to explain why Mary Barra bumped IBM chief Ginni Rometty from the top spot on the Fortune MPW list and how she, as the first journalist to write a major story about Carly Fiorina, saw signs of her political savvy 17 years ago.  by Pattie Sellers

• Earn like Ahrendts. Do you have a salary negotiation in your future? Try channeling Apple retail boss Angela Ahrendts: In just five months, Ahrendts made $73.4 million, handily out-earning every other executive on our 2015 MPW list. by Kristen Bellstrom

• Never too early for Sandberg. Although Sheryl Sandberg has avoided giving interviews since her husband's death in May, she agreed to talk to Fortune about what her work at Google and Facebook has taught her about hiring for growth. "You can never hire the right people too early. And you often hire them too late.” by Pattie Sellers

• School days. Where did the Most Powerful Women go to college? While just nine of the 50 U.S.-based executives who made the 2015 MPW rankings graduated from Ivy League schools, a full 59% hold graduate degrees. Just one—Mondelez International CEO Irene Rosenfeld—boasts a doctorate. by Laura Lorenzetti

• Market movers. There are 23 CEOs of publicly held companies on the MPW list, but none has had better stock performance this year than Ross Stores CEO Barbara Rentler. How have the rest of the execs done? by Valentina Zarya

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QUOTE

My mother always told me it’s my job to be happy, not rich. So that’s my mantra. I have to like what I do.

Chef Carla Hall, No. 10 on <em>Fortune </em>and<em> Food & Wine's 2015 </em>list of the Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink