Next to Lead: The 25 Most Powerful Rising Executives in the Fortune 500

next to lead: the 25 most powerful rising executives in the fortune 500

Fortune Editors

CEO appointments are critical decisions that determine a company's trajectory. A strong leader can drive innovation, growth, and stability, while poor leadership can lead to job losses, economic disruptions, and the decline of vital industries.&nbsp;Fortune’s inaugural Most Powerful Rising Executives (MPRE) list honors a select group of leaders who have demonstrated exceptional potential to shape the future of business and are on the fast track to becoming the next generation of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/ranking/fortune500/">Fortune 500</a> CEOs.

SVP Stuart Aitken oversees sales, pricing, promotions, category planning, analytics, and e-commerce at the grocery giant. He led <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/kroger/">Kroger’s</a> brand transformation in November 2019 and previously held senior marketing leadership roles at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/michaels-cos/">Michaels</a> stores and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/safeway/">Safeway</a>.

Stuart Aitken

Leah Anderson leads WinField United, the crop inputs and insights business at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/land-olakes/">Land O’Lakes</a> and its largest division. As president, Anderson drives strategy at WinField United, developing innovative products and services for farmers and agricultural retailers. She previously held leadership roles at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, U.S. Bank, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/securian-financial-group/">Securian Financial Group</a> and sits on the boards of CropLife America and GreenPoint Ag.&nbsp;

Leah Anderson

As president, Sarah Bond leads operations at Xbox as well as its effort to create a device-agnostic gaming ecosystem. A graduate of Harvard and Yale, and former McKinsey consultant and T-Mobile strategist, Bond joined <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/microsoft/">Microsoft</a> in 2017 and played a key role in its <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/2023/10/13/microsoft-69-billion-activision-blizzard-acquisition-ftc-lina-khan-antitrust-video-games/">bid to acquire Activision Blizzard</a>. She also serves on the board of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/zuora/">Zuora</a>.

Sarah Bond

At <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/chevron/">Chevron Corp.</a>, Eimear Bonner is responsible for global audit and investor relations, as well as tax, treasury, and financial operations. Since joining the company in 1998, she has held several key leadership roles, including general director of Tengizchevroil LLP in Kazakhstan and chief technology officer, a position in which Bonner made history at Chevron as its first woman CTO.

Eimear Bonner

As EVP, Frank Bracken manages the company’s global retail banners, merchandising, and marketing. He previously served as COO and CEO of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/foot-locker/">Foot Locker</a> North America. Before joining Foot Locker, he spent five years at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/coca-cola/">Coca-Cola Company</a>, where he served as VP of brand management for Powerade and brand manager for Sprite. Bracken also serves as a board member at GOAT Group.

Frank Bracken

In her role at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/lululemon-athletica/">Lululemon Athletica</a>, Celeste Burgoyne directs retail operations and customer engagement across the Americas. Since joining Lululemon in 2006, she has held various executive leadership positions and was instrumental in the Vancouver-based company’s U.S. expansion. Before Lululemon, she spent a decade at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/abercrombie-fitch/">Abercrombie &amp; Fitch</a>, rising to senior director of stores.

Celeste Burgoyne

Aparna Chennapragada leads generative AI efforts for <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/microsoft/">Microsoft</a> 365 and Microsoft Designer. She was previously chief product officer at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/robinhood/">Robinhood</a> and spent over a decade at Google overseeing product, engineering, and design teams for Google’s search, shopping, and augmented reality efforts. She serves on the board of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/ebay/">eBay</a>.

Aparna Chennapragada

As COO of the consumer hardware business, Ana Corrales oversees the development of products such as Pixel smartphones, Nest devices, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/tag/fitbit/">Fitbit</a> wearables. Before joining <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/alphabet/">Google</a>, she cofounded SunModular, a solar startup, and held senior leadership roles at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/cisco-systems-inc/">Cisco Systems</a>. She previously served as CFO and COO of Nest, which Google acquired in 2014. Corrales also serves on the board of the Silicon Valley International School.

Ana Corrales

In her role at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/sam039s-club/">Sam’s Club</a>, a division of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/walmart/">Walmart</a>, Megan Crozier directs merchandising, pharmacy operations, product management, and supply-chain engineering. Crozier began her Walmart career in 2003 and rose to chief merchant at Sam’s Club in 2019. Her leadership revitalized the Member’s Mark private label, driving a 46% revenue increase over five years. In fiscal 2024, Sam’s Club generated $86.2 billion, representing 13% of Walmart’s net sales.

Megan Crozier

VP Jamil Ghani oversees the subscription service’s global expansion and member enhancements. Since joining <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/amazon-com/">Amazon</a> in 2017, he has introduced initiatives like faster delivery options and a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/grubhub/">Grubhub</a> partnership offering <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/europe/2022/07/06/amazons-grubhub-takeaway-deal-doordash-uber-deal-food-delivery-market/">free membership to Prime subscribers</a>. Previously, Ghani held leadership roles at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/target/">Target</a>, driving strategic transformation and digital growth, and worked at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/disney/">Walt Disney Company</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/boston-consulting-group/">Boston Consulting Group</a>.

Jamil Ghani

Rick Gomez assumed the role of EVP and CCO at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/target/">Target</a> in July. He has held key leadership positions at the retailer, including chief marketing officer and chief food and beverage officer, and was instrumental in the 2019 launch of the loyalty program Target Circle. He previously worked in marketing at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/molson-coors-brewing/">MillerCoors</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/pepsico/">PepsiCo</a> and currently serves on the board of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/wendys/">Wendy’s</a>.

Rick Gomez

EVP Matt Guffey directs strategy, transformation, marketing, U.S. sales, and communications, as well as the On Demand Network, which includes the UPS Store, Roadie, and Happy Returns. Since joining <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/ups/">UPS</a> in 2000, he has held leadership roles in marketing, sales, operations, and strategy in both the U.S. and Europe.

Matt Guffey

As senior EVP, Damien Harmon manages end-to-end customer experiences, including retail operations, in-home services, virtual interactions, and call centers. He also leads Geek Squad, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/best-buy/">Best Buy’s</a> tech-support organization. Harmon played a key role in Best Buy’s international expansion into Turkey and China and previously held leadership roles at Bridgestone Americas and its GCR Tires division. He currently serves on the board of Driven Brands.

Damien Harmon

Rejji Hayes has held the role of EVP and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/2024/12/17/cfos-who-made-fortunes-new-next-to-lead-list/">CFO</a> at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/cms-energy/">CMS Energy</a> and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy, since 2017. Previously, he served as EVP and CFO of ITC Holdings Corp., where he co-led the strategic review that resulted in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/2015/12/01/itc-holdings-strategic-alternatives-sale/">company’s sale to Fortis</a>. During his tenure, ITC’s market capitalization grew by approximately $2.3 billion. Hayes serves on the board of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/fortive/">Fortive</a>, chairing the audit committee.

Rejji Hayes

Sunny Jain has extensive experience in consumer goods and e-commerce. At <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/amazon-com/">Amazon</a>, he leads worldwide fulfillment operations for its third-party marketplace, enabling sellers to ship products directly to Amazon’s fulfillment centers for customer delivery. Jain began his career at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/procter-gamble/">Procter &amp; Gamble</a> and later served as president of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/unilever/">Unilever’s</a> $25 billion beauty and personal care division. He was previously a senior advisor for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/carlyle-group/">Carlyle Group’s</a> Global Consumer, Media, and Retail team.

Sunny Jain

Ram Krishnan is at the helm of a beverage business that saw <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/2024/09/20/pepsico-north-america-ceo-ram-krishnan-color-coded-pie-chart-time-management/">more than $27 billion in net revenue in 2023</a> and includes brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade, Lipton, and Starbucks ready-to-drink coffee. He has held several senior leadership roles at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/pepsico/">PepsiCo</a>, including CEO of international beverages and chief commercial officer. Before joining PepsiCo, Krishnan spent six years at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/tag/cadillac/">Cadillac</a>.

Ram Krishnan

Before taking the helm of this <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/nextera-energy/">NextEra Energy</a> division, a leading generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun, Rebecca Kujawa held various leadership roles within NextEra Energy and its subsidiaries, including serving as CFO. Kujawa is also chairperson of the board of directors for Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited, a mutual insurance company.

Rebecca Kujawa

Gina Mastantuono leads accounting, investor relations, real estate, and global impact strategy at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/servicenow/">workflow automation platform</a>. She was previously EVP and CFO at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/ingram-micro/">Ingram Micro</a>, an IT products and services company, and has held senior roles at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/revlon/">Revlon</a>. Mastantuono sits on the board of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/roblox/">Roblox</a>.

Gina Mastantuono

Sundar Raman is at the helm of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/procter-gamble/">P&amp;G’s</a> largest and most profitable division, which includes brands such as Tide, Downy, Gain, Febreze, and Swiffer. He's led the business since 2019, overseeing a portfolio that generates approximately one-third of P&amp;G’s total sales and net earnings.

Sundar Raman

Tim Ryan has led the technology and legacy franchise teams at the financial services firm since June 2024. Prior to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/citigroup/">Citi</a>, he was a senior partner at global accounting firm <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/pricewaterhousecoopers/">PwC</a>, where he cofounded CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion. Ryan serves on the board of trustees at the Brookings Institution and the Financial Accounting Foundation.

Tim Ryan

Jennifer Taubert sits at the helm of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/johnson-johnson/">Johnson & Johnson’s</a> $54 billion pharmaceuticals division. Between 2023 and 2024, J&J Innovative Medicine completed 24 business development transactions, deploying more than $5 billion through acquisitions and licensing deals. Taubert has been named to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/ranking/most-powerful-women/">Fortune Most Powerful Women list</a> for eight consecutive years and serves on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/mcdonalds/">McDonald’s</a> board of directors.

Jennifer Taubert

John Ternus, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, leads hardware engineering for all of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/apple/">Apple’s</a> core products. He joined the company’s product design team in 2001, transitioning to the hardware engineering team in 2003. During this tenure, he has overseen the engineering of products such as the iPad, iPhone, Mac, and AirPods and played a key role in Apple's transition from Intel processors to its custom-designed chips for Mac computers. Before Apple, Ternus worked in mechanical engineering at Virtual Research Systems.

John Ternus

At <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/amazon-com/">Amazon</a> Web Services, Uwem Ukpong leads key business units like training, professional services, and customer support to aid cloud adoption. In 2023, he led AWS initiatives to enhance Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and expanded his responsibilities in 2024 to include the sovereign cloud team and international product management. He was previously an executive vice president at Baker Hughes, managing global operations, and played a key role in its merger with GE’s oil and gas division to form a company worth $32 billion in combined revenue.

Uwem Ukpong

Latriece Watkins joined the megaretailer in 1997 as a real estate intern and worked her way up the ranks, serving in many leadership roles at both <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/walmart/">Walmart</a> and its <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/sam039s-club/">Sam’s Club</a> division, including senior director of real estate and senior VP of merchandising consumables and OTC. She’s the first woman and person of color to serve as Walmart's chief merchant, one of the most influential jobs in retail, where she oversees product selection and supplier relationships for its U.S. operations. She sits on the board of directors at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/live-nation-entertainment/">Live Nation Entertainment</a>.&nbsp;

Latriece Watkins

Craig Williams oversees <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/nike/">Nike</a>’s four global regions, its direct and wholesale channels, as well as its supply chain and logistics. He joined Nike in 2019 as president of Jordan Brand, where he doubled revenue within four years, establishing it as one of the most well-known sneaker brands in the U.S. Prior to Nike, Williams held senior leadership roles at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/coca-cola/">Coca-Cola Company</a> and was president of its <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/mcdonalds/">McDonald’s</a> Division Worldwide, responsible for global brand and category growth. He serves on the board of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fortune.com/company/capital-one-financial/">Capital One</a>.

Craig Williams

These leaders shaping the future of business are on the fast track to becoming the next generation of Fortune 500 CEOs.