14. Julie Monaco, Citigroup

Global Head of Corporate and Investment Banking, Public Sector, and Global Head of KYC and AML Operations, Institutional Clients Group, Citigroup

Early in Julie Monaco's career, the head of sales at Bankers Trust handed her a quote embedded on Lucite.

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor," it said.

The words, attributed to famed Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi, still resonate with Monaco.

At Citigroup, she manages a global network of senior bankers who provide financial services to such clients as central banks, finance ministries and state and local governments in 103 countries. What she hopes to coach them on is how each one plays a role in the overall success of the group with every interaction they have.

"That is the one of the most important responsibilities of a leader: motivating people and developing the future leaders of the organization," she said. "When you take the time to communicate these messages to your team you are creating a culture that is distinguished by a commitment to excellence."

This year one of the big successes was a landmark deal she helped engineer with New Zealand, in which Citi is helping the country restructure financial services across its government agencies.

Outside the bank, Monaco regularly attends the annual World Economic Forum in Davos. She's Citi's lead at annual meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund.

She also is involved with several nonprofits, but is especially proud of her work with Junior Achievement USA, which tries to help young people make smart academic and economic choices. She was recently named the group's chairman.

Finding the time is a conscious choice she makes. "You get to a certain level in your career and your job where you feel like you have a lot to offer," Monaco said.

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