• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
MPWMost Powerful Women

These Are the Only Two Female CEOs in Trump’s New Business Advisor Group

Claire Zillman
By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
Editor, Leadership
Down Arrow Button Icon
Claire Zillman
By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
Editor, Leadership
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 5, 2016, 11:51 AM ET
Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit - Day 2
Photograph by Paul Morigi Getty Images for Fortune/Time Inc
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

While some of Donald Trump’s picks for top advisors in his fledgling administration have raised eyebrows, the new panel of business leaders assembled by the president-elect is flush with experience and influence—thanks to the inclusion of some of the biggest-name executives in the Fortune 500.

But there is at least one criticism of the group: It lacks gender diversity. Only two of the 16 members, who were announced last week, are women, GM CEO Mary Barra and IBM CEO Ginni Rometty.

Trump plans to call on members of his so-called Strategic and Policy Forum “to share their specific experience and knowledge” as he tries to keep jobs in the United States and bring back some that have already moved abroad, according to a statement posted to the website of Blackstone, a private equity firm. It continued:

Members of the forum will be charged with providing their individual views to the president–informed by their unique vantage points in the private sector–on how government policy impacts economic growth, job creation, and productivity. The forum is designed to provide direct input to the president from many of the best and brightest in the business world in a frank, non-bureaucratic, and non-partisan manner.

Blackstone chair, CEO, and co-founder Stephen Schwarzman, a billionaire Republican donor, will chair the forum and was reportedly responsible for selecting the rest of the team. Schwarzman told CNBC that he chose the leaders for the forum and Trump “loved them all.”

Subscribe to The World’s Most Powerful Women, Fortune’s daily must-read for global businesswomen.

Here is the full list of forum members:

  • Stephen A. Schwarzman—Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Blackstone;
  • Paul Atkins—CEO, Patomak Global Partners, LLC, Former Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission;
  • Mary Barra—Chairman and CEO, General Motors;
  • Toby Cosgrove–CEO, Cleveland Clinic;
  • Jamie Dimon—Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co;
  • Larry Fink—Chairman and CEO, BlackRock;
  • Bob Iger—Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company;
  • Rich Lesser—President and CEO, Boston Consulting Group;
  • Doug McMillon—President and CEO, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.;
  • Jim McNerney—Former Chairman, President, and CEO, Boeing;
  • Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi—Chairman and Managing Partner, Global Infrastructure Partners;
  • Ginni Rometty—Chairman, President, and CEO, IBM;
  • Kevin Warsh—Shepard Family Distinguished Visiting Fellow in Economics, Hoover Institute, Former Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;
  • Mark Weinberger—Global Chairman and CEO, EY;
  • Jack Welch—Former Chairman and CEO, General Electric;
  • Daniel Yergin—Pulitzer Prize-winner, Vice Chairman of IHS Markit

Schwarzman said that partisanship was not a factor in compiling the group. “[Trump] said ‘I don’t care about that. I don’t care about anything but talent and wisdom and judgment,'” Schwarzman said. Indeed, the list includes some Democratic heavyweights, including Iger, a Democratic donor who supported Hillary Clinton, and Fink, who was once considered a contender for Treasury secretary, should Clinton have won the election.

Schwarzman himself has not disclosed whom he voted for on November 8. The private equity pioneer, who helped bankroll Republican Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign in 2012, said he was still undecided in late September.

If party allegiance was disregarded in assembling the forum, perhaps gender diversity was too.

That’s not to discount the qualifications of Barra and Rometty.

Barra, who’s crediting with steering GM through its ignition switch scandal, said told the Detroit News that she is looking forward to working with Trump and his team “on policies that support a strong and competitive economy and automotive industry.” A top priority for Barra will likely be weighing in on the tariffs Trump has vowed impose on good coming into the U.S. from Mexico. GM has extensive operations in Mexico, and on the campaign trail, Trump blasted rival Ford for moving jobs to the U.S.’s southern neighbor. (Ford has said it plans to cut no jobs in the U.S. but is moving a small production plant to Mexico.) In October, Barra’s name appeared in leaked Clinton campaign emails that seemed to indicate the Democratic nominee had considered her as a potential pick for vice president.

Rometty’s membership in the forum follows an open letter she sent to Trump about creating “new collar” jobs. Her sunny message to Trump irked at least one employee. A senior content strategist wrote her own open letter to Rometty and announced she was resigning.

Rometty’s appointment to the panel also comes after Trump used a campaign speech last month to criticize IBM for laying off workers in Minneapolis and for offshoring other jobs. IBM has cut thousands of jobs overall over the past few years, in what it has called a realignment around new opportunities. But with nearly 380,000 employees worldwide, it remains the largest tech company in the U.S.

IBM declined to comment on Rometty’s role in the forum.

Women’s representation on Trump’s new panel is woeful, but it reflects the struggle of women to gain full parity in the corporate world. Study after study indicates a gender gap in management positions, and this year, the percentage of female CEOs in the Fortune 500 dropped to a dismal 4%. A Fortune investigation in September revealed that the dearth of female chief executives is due—in part—to women’s increased odds of being offered the top position at companies that are struggling or in crisis and the scarcity of second chances for women who exit the C-suite.

 

About the Author
Claire Zillman
By Claire ZillmanEditor, Leadership
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Claire Zillman is a senior editor at Fortune, overseeing leadership stories. 

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in MPW

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in MPW

Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
MPWSports
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
By Emma HinchliffeJune 19, 2026
17 hours ago
Arianna Huffington swears by one boundary to switch off from work every night—and Ralph Lauren’s CHRO says it’s the best thing she’s ever done too
SuccessDay in the Life of a CEO
Arianna Huffington swears by one boundary to switch off from work every night—and Ralph Lauren’s CHRO says it’s the best thing she’s ever done too
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 19, 2026
24 hours ago
z
PoliticsElections
Zohran’s primary of power: the Democrat that Republicans fear most runs New York City
By Steve Peoples, Anthony Izaguirre, Matt Brown and The Associated PressJune 18, 2026
2 days ago
Trump caught on hot mic saying one word to EU’s top official at the G7: ‘Greenland’
EuropeDonald Trump
Trump caught on hot mic saying one word to EU’s top official at the G7: ‘Greenland’
By The Associated Press, Rob Gillies, Sylvie Corbet, Darlene Superville and Collin BinkleyJune 16, 2026
4 days ago
REE Corp. chair Nguyen Thi Mai Thanh spent 40 years navigating Vietnam’s economy. Here’s what she thinks comes next
MagazineVietnam
REE Corp. chair Nguyen Thi Mai Thanh spent 40 years navigating Vietnam’s economy. Here’s what she thinks comes next
By Nicholas GordonJune 16, 2026
4 days ago
claudia
North AmericaWorld Cup
‘All of this sould prompt reflection’: Sheinbaum says World Cup tickets are too expensive for most Mexicans
By The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
19 hours ago
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
2 days ago
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
2 days ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
3 days ago
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Big Tech
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
By Tristan BoveJune 15, 2026
5 days ago
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
MPW
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
By Emma HinchliffeJune 19, 2026
17 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.