FORTUNE's annual ranking of America's leading businesswomen
Maria Ramos Rank: 28 (2004 rank: 29)
Company: Transnet Based in: South Africa Title: CEO
In less than two years since taking the reins of Transnet, which owns South Africa's railways, ports, and flagship airline, Ramos, 46, has returned the company to profitability. By reducing staff and consolidating departments, she turned a loss of $1 billion in 2004 into a $1 billion profit for the fiscal year ended March 31, on revenues of $7 billion.
From the November 14, 2005 issue
Highest pay
These women are among the highest paid in corporate America. All of them are employed by companies with over $1 billion in sales that filed proxies by September 1, 2005.
Newcomer Charlene Begley heads up GE's plastics division and is the youngest of this group at age 39. She bumped last year's youngest gun, Citigroup CFO Sallie Krawcheck, now 40. But, on average, the Power 50 are in their late 40s.
