Ana Botín

As group executive chairman of Banco Santander, Europe's largest bank by market capitalization and No. 73 on Fortune's Global 500 this year, Botín oversees a global operation with 200,000 employees, 13,800 branches, 131 million customers, and a presence on every continent but Antarctica. She has helmed the company (and topped this list) since 2014, when she was appointed after the sudden death of her father. Botín, who has worked to upgrade Santander's technology and service, has proved a capable steward ever since; this year, profits are up 24% for the first half of the year, and the bank's stock price has risen 31%. The executive also completed the acquisition of struggling Banco Popular in June, a feat of deal-making that gives Santander the edge in its home Spanish market.