Business has its ups and downs, and so, naturally, do women in business. (Bye-bye, Martha!) But the story of this list is one of achievement: The credentials of these women, including the 13 newcomers, are the strongest yet. By Katie Benner, Eugenia Levenson, and Rupali Arora |  |  |  | 26 of 50 | 26. Charlene Begley 2006 rank: 22
Age: 40
After running GE Plastics for two years - and overseeing the first new polymer since the 1980s - Begley helped sell the unit to Saudi Basic Industries in May for $11.6 billion, a price that was considered a pleasant surprise. Now she's running GE Enterprise Solutions, a new business focused on boosting productivity through technology and automation solutions. GE estimates that it will be an $11.6 billion operation. Begley will report directly to CEO Jeff Immelt.
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