Brenda Barnes
Title: Chairman and CEO
Company: Sara Lee
Company rank: 199
Age: 55
Compensation: $9.3 million
Since becoming CEO of Sara Lee in 2005, Brenda Barnes has been outspoken about divesting assets that don't add value -- most notably spinning off Hanesbrands in 2006. The company's international household and body care products division, which saw second-quarter sales fall 15.7%, could be next as Barnes tightens the company's belt.
More than two-thirds of Sara Lee's profits come from outside the United States -- and products like its Moccona and Café Pilão coffees continue to win consumers in emerging markets.
But as the dollar grows stronger, Sara Lee's bottom line has suffered. Barnes is aiming for savings of more than $200 million over the next three years and focusing on winning consumers over with coupons, in-store promotions, and economical brands like Sara Lee's Jimmy Dean sausages.
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Last updated April 21 2009: 3:48 PM ET
RSSCompensation figures include salary, bonus, stock awards, option awards, non-equity incentive plan compensation, change in pension value and non-qualified deferred compensation earnings and all other compensation as reported in the company proxy statement. Figures are for 2008 unless otherwise noted.
