Catherine MacGregor

MacGregor is poised to become the only woman leading a company in the CAC 40—France’s benchmark stock index—when she takes the reins at the utility Engie on Jan. 1. MacGregor, an engineer who spent much of her career at the oil services firm Schlumberger, arrives at the $67.2 billion company—of which the French state holds a 23.64% stake and 33.96% voting rights—at an awkward time. Her predecessor, Isabelle Kocher, who attempted to transform the company into a green energy giant, was ousted in February; interim management focused on shedding non-core businesses, but continued down the path Kocher had forged. Revenue and profits were both down by nearly 10% in 2019; 2020’s numbers will not be kinder.