Good morning! General Motors backs Trump’s inauguration, Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood wants tax clarity, and we look back on 2024. Have a peaceful Monday.
– Year in review. Good morning, readers! First of all: Thank you for being part of this community over the past year. It’s truly been a whirlwind for this newsletter that covers women in power and the stories that matter to them. You stuck with us through a rebrand (from the Broadsheet to Most Powerful Women Daily) and celebrated our 10-year anniversary. We covered a historic and historically-truncated presidential campaign when Kamala Harris jumped into the race. Plus, there were the usual ups and downs for women in the business world.
You have my deepest gratitude for continuing to make this newsletter a part of your daily routines. Every time you open this newsletter, forward it to a friend, or send a reply—it means the world to me and the rest of our team at Fortune. We’ll have some exciting updates on this newsletter in the new year—and tomorrow we’ll share some 2025 predictions from experts.
In the meantime, here’s a look back at some important moments from 2024—from key stories to inspiring words:
“You have to remember the path is not linear.” —Goldman Sachs’ Asahi Pompey on losing out on a big job, but coming out on top on the other side
“I grew up making myself small to make men feel bigger. Taylor Swift is unapologetic in her ambition. She stands strong.” —Universal Music Publishing Group Jody Gerson on what she’s learned from the superstar, whose record-setting Eras Tour at last came to a close in 2024
“It’s time to reinvest in myself, and that’s what I decided to do.” —former Netflix and Uber exec Bozoma Saint John on starting her own brand
“It is different for women, it’s just a fact.” —Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, weighing in on Silicon Valley’s obsession with “founder mode” this year
“I’ve really tried to cherish the learnings of this experience. I really think they will impact the rest of my life.” —Guild founder Rachel Romer, sharing what she learned from surviving a stroke at 34
“Women have so much unrealized power and influence.” —The WIE Suite founder and CEO Dee Poku, offering her perspective after the 2024 election
“Don’t ever give up.” —Kamala Harris’s message after the 2024 election
“This is what women’s sports can be.” —ESPN reporter Holly Rowe after the sold-out WNBA finals
“I wanted people to see that ordinary people could do extraordinary things.” —Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on why she decided to share her own story
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Today’s edition was curated by Nina Ajemian. Subscribe here.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
- Driving donations.General Motors and Ford Motors are each donating $1 million and vehicles to Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration; Toyota has also pledged $1 million. Earlier this month, General Motors CEO Mary Barra said, “I'm actually looking forward to working with the president and with the administration, because I think we can grow the importance of the auto industry and manufacturing.” Axios
- Backdate bid. Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood is asking the incoming Trump administration for clarity on tax policies, pushing for tax cuts to retroactively apply to Jan. 1, 2025. Wood, a supporter of Trump’s economic platform and investor in Elon Musk’s Tesla, said backdating would be helpful “in terms of providing certainty for the markets.” Reuters
- Coach of champions.Last week, Katie Schumacher-Cawley became the first female coach to win the NCAA Division I volleyball title; plus, she coached Penn State to victory while undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The championship was historic no matter the outcome—Penn State played Louisville, which also has a female coach. NBC
- Beyoncé bowl. Beyoncé’s halftime performance helped the NFL and Netflix set some new records. Two Christmas Day games drew 65 million U.S. viewers. Viewership of the Ravens-Texans game peaked during the superstar’s 13-minute performance. Guardian
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Transwestern, a commercial real estate services provider, named Frances Thomson CMO. Most recently, she was marketing director, capital markets at CBRE.
NuScale Power, a small modular reactor technology provider, appointed Diana Walters to its board of directors. Previously, she was president of Liberty Metals and Mining.
Auna, a healthcare company in Latin America, appointed Teresa Gutierrez and Guadalupe Phillips to its board of directors. Gutierrez is country manager, sales and service for Mexico at Tesla. Phillips is chief executive officer of ICA.
ON MY RADAR
‘A one-man economy’ whom no one dared oppose: Working for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs before the billionaire’s arrest on sex-trafficking charges Fortune
Still sounding young at 85, she is the voice of old JapanNew York Times
Hawk Tuah wasn’t what it seemed The Atlantic
PARTING WORDS
“Listening is presence. It is the here and now. It is paying attention.”
— Percussionist Evelyn Glennie on why leaders should listen
