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

Trendingnow

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

3

Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

3

Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026
NewslettersBroadsheet

It’s One of the Toughest CFO Jobs in Corporate America. Now It’s Hers

By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
and
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
and
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 26, 2019, 7:38 AM ET
GE-CFO-Carolina Dybeck Happe
Courtesy of GECourtesy of GE

This is the web version of the Broadsheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. To get it delivered daily to your in-box, sign up here. 

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Sarah Huckabee Sanders is called to run for office, investors react badly to women joining corporate boards, and GE fills a tough job. Have a terrific Tuesday. 

EVERYONE'S TALKING

- GE's new CFO. General Electric kicked off this week by naming a new CFO; early next year, Carolina Dybeck Happe, currently CFO of shipping giant Maersk, will take over the role.

GE had been hunting for a new CFO ever since it said in July that Jamie Miller, who's currently in the job, would depart. In announcing the hire, GE CEO Larry Culp called Dybeck Happe “a proven global CFO with a superior track record of delivering results and creating value.” Elsewhere, Dybeck Happe was referred to as someone with "little name recognition in the U.S.," who lacks the “wow factor” GE investors might’ve been looking for.

If Dybeck Happe is a relative unknown, it won't be for long. In joining Culp’s C-suite, she’ll be taking on one of the toughest turnarounds in corporate America as the troubled Boston-based conglomerate tries to cut costs and reduce its mountain of debt—all while the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission investigate its accounting practices. (For a refresher on how it ended up in this mess, check out Geoff Colvin’s Fortune must-read: 'What the Hell Happened at GE?')

Dybeck Happe's appointment also points to the trend in recent years of more and more Fortune 500 companies naming female CFOs. There were 62 last year, up from 41 a decade earlier, according to Spencer Stuart. (In fact, last time we took count was for another big CFO announcement: Dhivya Suryadevara’s promotion to the role at GM.)

It’s also worth mentioning new research that illustrates the potential upside of such a move. An October study by S&P Global found that in the first 24 months of appointing a woman CFO, companies saw, on average, a 6% increase in profits and an 8% better stock return versus the records of male predecessors. All told, the women CFOs brought in $1.8 trillion of additional cumulative profits, according to the report, which examined 6,000 Russell 3000 firms over the past 17 years.

Dybeck Happe has been at Maersk for less than a year. Before that she was CFO of Sweden’s Assa Abloy, a lock manufacturer, for seven years. In that period, investors saw shares of the company return more than 150%.  

Claire Zillman
@clairezillman
claire.zillman@fortune.com

Today's Broadsheet was produced by Emma Hinchliffe. 

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

- Misguided market confidence. Some depressing findings on board diversity from INSEAD researchers: For two years after companies appointed women to their boards of directors between 1998 and 2011, the companies' market value decreased. But it wasn't that the health of those businesses suffered—at least as measured by profitability. Instead, investor perception of the companies did. Why? Market investors saw the appointment of women to boards of directors as a sign that a company was prioritizing social goals over maximizing investor value. Harvard Business Review

- Campaign for health. Maya Rockeymore Cummings is running for her late husband Rep. Elijah Cummings's seat in Congress. At the same time she started her campaign, Rockeymore Cummings underwent a double mastectomy. Her mother and sister had both developed breast cancer; she ignored advice from men telling her to wait until after the campaign for the surgery. "You can't run a campaign and be effective if you are sidelined or focused on health issues," she says. Washington Post

- Quite a calling. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says in a new interview that she is "called" to run for office. That calling will most likely put her in the 2023 Arkansas governor's race. New York Times

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: OCC, the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization, added Maria Chiodi of Credit Suisse to its board of directors. Massachusetts AG Maura Healey is a new co-chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association, leading the group alongside Oregon AG Ellen Rosenblum. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

- Elected officials. After the pro-democracy wave in Hong Kong elections, meet some of the city's new politicians. Jocelyn Chau, 23, was arrested while live-streaming a protest in August; she beat a 20-year incumbent for a district seat. Cathy Yau was a police officer for a decade but quit this year to stand with the Hong Kong protesters; she won against a 12-year incumbent. New York Times

- CBS suit. CBS programming executive Ghen Maynard filed a lawsuit claiming he's being pushed out of his job because of both racism and ageism. But the suit gets even more complicated: Maynard also claims that an investigation by the network into his treatment of a female co-worker was a "sham" and that his treatment by top brass at the network soured after the ouster of Les Moonves. In the lawsuit, Maynard implies that the departure of daytime programming chief Angelica McDaniel "was tied to her ethnicity." CBS says the lawsuit's claims are "without merit." Wall Street Journal 

- The charts will go on. Celine Dion's new album Courage hit No. 1—and it's the first time the Canadian superstar has topped the charts in 17 years. The artist is now the fourth woman to have No. 1 albums in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. Billboard

ON MY RADAR

Connie Schultz: In a season of grief, I turned to home improvement Glamour

Phoebe Waller-Bridge loves antiheroines. Of course New York Times 

Kim Kardashian West on life as a brand and her political awakening The Cut

It’s easy to dismiss debutante balls, but their history can help us understand women's lives Time

QUOTE

"We won the World Cup as a movement."

-Megan Rapinoe in a GQ profile

IF YOU LIKE THIS EMAIL...

Share today’s Broadsheet with a friend.

Did someone share this with you? Sign up here. For previous editions, click here.

For even more, check out CEO Daily, Fortune's daily newsletter of business news from our CEO Alan Murray. Sign up here.

About the Authors
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
Emma Hinchliffe
By Emma HinchliffeMost Powerful Women Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Emma Hinchliffe is Fortune’s Most Powerful Women editor, overseeing editorial for the longstanding franchise. As a senior writer at Fortune, Emma has covered women in business and gender-lens news across business, politics, and culture. She is the lead author of the Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily missive for and about the women leading the business world.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Newsletters

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 Newsletters

U.S. President Donald Trump speaking at a podium flanked by signs that say "Winning the AI Race."
NewslettersEye on AI
The times they are a-changin’: Washington suddenly warms to regulating AI
By Jeremy KahnMay 19, 2026
15 hours ago
How Coach earned 800,000 new Gen Z customers and became responsible for 89% of sales at Tapestry
NewslettersMPW Daily
How Coach earned 800,000 new Gen Z customers and became responsible for 89% of sales at Tapestry
By Emma HinchliffeMay 19, 2026
19 hours ago
Professional businesswoman working at a desk while interacting with an AI assistant on a tablet screen. The scene shows a modern office environment with notebook, laptop, and digital tools, representing productivity, smart technology, and digital transformation in business. Ideal for concepts related to artificial intelligence, remote work, automation, business innovation, and modern office lifestyle.
NewslettersCFO Daily
CFOs could cut agentic AI costs up to 60% by fixing this overlooked data problem
By Sheryl EstradaMay 19, 2026
22 hours ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in Oakland, California, on May 12, 2026. (Photo: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Musk v. Altman: That’s all, folks
By Andrew NuscaMay 19, 2026
1 day ago
ESG may be fading—but moral leadership isn’t
NewslettersCEO Daily
ESG may be fading—but moral leadership isn’t
By Diane BradyMay 19, 2026
1 day ago
Women’s representation on boards of directors falls below 30%—but there’s one bright spot
NewslettersMPW Daily
Women’s representation on boards of directors falls below 30%—but there’s one bright spot
By Emma HinchliffeMay 18, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
13 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
8 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 19, 2026
20 hours ago
Employers are quietly pausing 401(k) matches again. The last time this happened was the 2008 recession and Covid
Personal Finance
Employers are quietly pausing 401(k) matches again. The last time this happened was the 2008 recession and Covid
By Courtney Vinopal and HR BrewMay 18, 2026
2 days ago
While Trump insisted the Iran war would end ‘soon,’ an account in his name was buying millions in oil, defense, and gold
Economy
While Trump insisted the Iran war would end ‘soon,’ an account in his name was buying millions in oil, defense, and gold
By Eva RoytburgMay 18, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, May 18, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, May 18, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 18, 2026
2 days 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.