An updated edition of the March 27, 2025, article.
For years, corporate leadership has largely been male-dominated, but that dynamic is shifting. Increasingly, women-run companies are emerging as powerhouses across sectors like finance, consumer goods, and technology. These female executives aren’t just breaking glass ceilings—they’re reshaping how businesses operate by injecting innovation, resilience, and fresh strategic thinking into boardrooms. Many such companies are no longer simply keeping pace with industry benchmarks—they’re setting new ones. This evolution goes beyond symbolic representation, it’s about driving sustainable growth and profitability through diverse, forward-looking leadership. The McKinsey Women in the Workplace 2024 report highlights that women's representation in C-suite positions has risen from 17% in 2015 to 29% in 2024. This progress reflects a growing recognition of the value women bring to executive roles.
Hershey Company HSY serves as a standout example. Michele Buck, the first female CEO in Hershey, has led the iconic chocolate maker since 2017. During her tenure, Hershey has seen record profitability, largely driven by strategic acquisitions (such as Pirate’s Booty and ONE Brands) and supply chain modernization. Buck also brought increased agility to the company’s go-to-market strategy. Under her leadership, Hershey has leaned into direct-to-consumer channels and broadened its healthier snacks portfolio. Similarly, General Motors GM has undergone a dramatic transformation under CEO Mary Barra, who took the helm in 2014. Barra not only navigated the company through the ignition switch crisis with a focus on transparency and safety but also repositioned General Motors by exiting unprofitable markets and doubling down on electrification and innovation.
The financial market is recognizing the value of gender-diverse leadership, with ESG-focused funds prioritizing companies with women in executive roles. Women entrepreneurs now own 42% of all U.S. businesses, employing 9.4 million workers and generating $1.9 trillion in revenues annually.
Despite this progress, securing adequate funding remains a primary obstacle for women entrepreneurs. Research indicates that women-led startups receive only about 2% of venture capital funding in the United States and Europe. This disparity is partly due to biases in the investment community, where investors often pose "prevention-oriented" questions to female entrepreneurs, focusing on potential risks, whereas male entrepreneurs receive "promotion-oriented" questions that highlight opportunities. Additionally, women entrepreneurs are less likely to seek financing, with only 25% pursuing loans compared to 33% of male business owners.
Despite funding challenges, women-led companies continue to drive innovation and resilience, making them attractive investment opportunities. If you want to capitalize on it, our Women Run Companies Screen will help you spot high-potential stocks in this space. Investors looking to capitalize on this growing sector should consider The Walt Disney Company DIS in the entertainment and media sector, The Progressive Corporation PGR in insurance, GSK plc GSK in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry and The Coca-Cola Company KO in consumer staples and beverages. Each of these companies exemplifies how strong female leadership can drive strategic vision and long-term value across a diverse range of sectors.
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Walt Disney: Dana Walden plays a pivotal leadership role at The Walt Disney Company as Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, overseeing the company's expansive television, streaming, and content divisions. Her portfolio includes Disney Television Studios, ABC Entertainment, Hulu Originals, and Disney Branded Television, placing her at the forefront of Disney's content strategy during a time of aggressive digital transformation. Under her direction, Disney has sharpened its focus on high-quality, franchise-aligned content that fuels subscriber engagement across Disney+, Hulu, and other platforms. Walden’s creative acumen and operational discipline have been instrumental in driving efficient content investment while maximizing returns on intellectual property.
Walden’s leadership has helped stabilize and reposition Disney’s entertainment business amid industry-wide disruption. As linear TV continues to decline, her successful pivot toward streaming has helped Disney maintain its competitive edge in the direct-to-consumer space. She has overseen a strategic recalibration of Hulu’s programming, bolstered Disney+ with broader general entertainment offerings, and streamlined content operations for cost efficiency. This shift not only supports margin expansion in Disney’s media segment but also strengthens the company's flywheel, where content drives theme parks, licensing, and merchandise revenue.
Her influence ensures that Disney’s entertainment assets remain aligned with evolving audience preferences, regulatory scrutiny, and global competition. Walden’s leadership offers a strong balance of creative innovation and financial pragmatism—two elements that are critical as Disney, a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company, targets streaming profitability and looks to regain earnings growth across its media empire. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Progressive: Tricia Griffith, CEO of Progressive Corporation since 2016, has driven remarkable growth, doubling annual revenues to about $75 billion. She expanded the company’s footprint in auto and home insurance. By emphasizing direct-to-consumer sales and leveraging digital channels, Griffith enhanced Progressive’s market share while maintaining competitive pricing strategies. Her focus on customer segmentation and innovative insurance products has contributed to sustained profitability and industry leadership.
Griffith has also led Progressive’s technological advancements, particularly in telematics and data-driven insurance models. She expanded the Snapshot program, which rewards safe driving through telematics, differentiating Progressive from competitors. Under her leadership, the company has embraced artificial intelligence and automation to streamline claims processing, improve underwriting accuracy and enhance customer experience. These initiatives have solidified Progressive’s reputation as a tech-forward insurer, attracting new customers while improving operational efficiency.
Beyond financial and technological success, Griffith has prioritized diversity, equity and inclusion, making Progressive a leader in workplace culture. She has increased the representation of women and minorities in leadership and fostered an inclusive work environment. Her leadership has earned Progressive recognition as a top employer and a socially responsible company. Through innovation, strong financial performance and a people-first approach, Griffith has positioned Progressive, a Zacks Rank #2 company, as a leader in the insurance industry. Progressive was recognized in Fortune's 2024 "100 Best Companies to Work For" list and was ranked No. 1 on Forbes' 2024 list of "America's Best Employers for Diversity."
GSK: Dame Emma Walmsley has been instrumental in transforming GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) since becoming CEO in 2017. She initiated a comprehensive overhaul of the company's operations, focusing on innovation, performance, and trust. This strategic pivot led to the divestment of non-core assets, including the rare disease unit, and a narrowed focus on key therapeutic areas such as oncology, HIV, and respiratory diseases. Walmsley's leadership also saw the termination of more than 30 underperforming drug development programs, streamlining R&D efforts toward more promising avenues.
Under her guidance, GSK has achieved significant financial milestones. The company's annual revenues reached £31.4 billion in 2024 ($39.8 billion). Additionally, the approval of the novel antibiotic Blujepa by the U.S. FDA in March 2025 marked a significant advancement in addressing antibiotic resistance. These achievements underscore Walmsley's commitment to revitalizing GSK's product pipeline and enhancing shareholder value.
Walmsley's tenure has not been without challenges. Investor concerns regarding ambitious growth targets and share price performance have been noted. However, her decisive actions, including the separation of the consumer healthcare business into Haleon and a renewed focus on biopharma, have positioned GSK — a Zacks Rank #2 company — for sustainable growth. With 14 key product launches anticipated before 2031 and a robust pipeline, Walmsley's strategic vision continues to drive GSK's evolution in the competitive pharmaceutical landscape.
Coca-Cola Company: Lisa Chang, as executive vice president and global chief people officer at The Coca-Cola Company, has significantly influenced the company's human capital strategy since her appointment in 2019. Overseeing talent management, organizational culture, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, she has been instrumental in aligning Coca-Cola's people strategies with its overarching business objectives. Her leadership has been pivotal in fostering a workplace environment that emphasizes employee well-being and adaptability, especially during periods of organizational transformation.
Under Chang's guidance, Coca-Cola accelerated the implementation of digital learning platforms, reducing rollout times from several months to just weeks. This swift adaptation enabled the company to maintain employee engagement and development during the shift to remote work. Additionally, the introduction of the Opportunity Marketplace facilitated internal mobility by allowing employees to engage in cross-functional projects, thereby enhancing workforce agility and optimizing talent utilization.
Chang's emphasis on DEI has reinforced Coca-Cola's commitment to social responsibility. By integrating DEI principles into the company's core values and operations, she has contributed to building a more inclusive corporate culture. This focus not only supports employee satisfaction and retention but also enhances the company's reputation among consumers and investors who prioritize corporate social responsibility. Chang's strategic initiatives in human resources have thus played a crucial role in positioning Coca-Cola – a Zacks Rank #2 company – for sustained success in a dynamic global market.
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