The 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking

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Celebrating 10 Years

The Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance, Then and Now

Women in Banking Keynote: Sheryl Wudunn

The author and Pulitzer Prize-Winning journalist discusses the plight of woman around the world and how to bring about change.

Lynn Carter: Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Former Capital One Bank President Lynn Carter urged bankers to embrace perspectives contrary to their own during her Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech at the recent Most Powerful Women in Banking dinner at New York’s Waldorf Astoria.

Women in Banking Keynote: Irene Dorner

Irene Dorner, The most powerful woman in banking and chief executive officer of HSBC USA, Irene Dorner, speaks about creating an inclusive workplace, her secrets for success and how to restore banking's good name.

Julie Williams: Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Former Acting Comptroller of the Currency Julie Williams emphasized the importance of responding to tough decisions by doing the right thing during her Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech at the recent Most Powerful Women in Banking dinner at New York’s Waldorf Astoria.

Irene Dorner on How to Restore Trust in Banking

The CEO of HSBC USA, Irene Dorner, says that to regain the public's confidence, banks must refocus on "lofty stuff." Namely, that they "exist to enable business to thrive and economies to prosper."

Irene Dorner on Creating a Level Playing Field for Women

The chief executive of HSBC USA discusses how women can rewrite the rules of the workplace and help restore the banking industry's good name.

Irene Dorner on Learning to Aim High

How a chauvinistic history teacher and an unsentimental father taught Irene Dorner, chief executive of HSBC USA, to consider the sky the limit.

Irene Dorner on the Value of Managing for the Long Term

Yes, quarterly results and the bottom line matter. But acting in the long-term interests of all their stakeholders is the ultimate measure of leaders, says Irene Dorner, chief executive of HSBC USA.

Sallie Krawcheck on Regulation & Reform

Sallie Krawcheck: What Matters 'Are the Facts'

Sallie Krawcheck on what the past decade has brought for women in financial services and on why she continues to speak out about the business case for diversity.

Presenting the 2012 Rankings

Irene Dorner, Sallie Krawcheck, Karen Peetz and Nicole Arnaboldi discuss the importance of bringing more women through the pipeline at financial services companies.

The Most Powerful Woman in Banking

Irene Dorner, the CEO of HSBC USA and No. 1 in our ranking, discusses her career, the awakening she had about her influence and the power of being authentic.

U.S. Bancorp's Pamela Joseph

The payments services chief talks about the purpose of the Women Leaders in Action network, and the group's work with schools in Africa.

Coming Oct. 1: The 2012 Rankings

Get ready. Our lists of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking, the 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance and the 25 Women to Watch are nearly here.

2011 Women in Banking Keynote: Heidi Miller (Part 2)

The president of JPMorgan Chase's international business talks about the road ahead for banks in the wake of the financial crisis.

Women in Banking Keynote: Arianna Huffington (Full)

The founder of the Huffington Post discusses what it takes for women to succeed in the work world.

2011 Women in Banking: Young Women's Leadership Scholarship Winners

2011 Women in Banking Keynote: Heidi Miller

JPMC's Miller: "I was a beneficiary of affirmative action."

2011 Women in Banking Keynote: Beth Mooney

KeyCorp's Mooney: "We didn't lead with our differences."

The 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking

Influence. The women on this list have a lot of it, at thier own companies and in the industry.
• The 25 Most Powerful Women to Watch
• The 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance
• 25MPWIB Home

#1 Karen Peetz

Vice Chairman, BNY Mellon

"Confidence is what leadership is really all about."

• Generates roughly half of BNY Mellon's pretax income
• Manages a third of its 52,000 employees in 115 cities around the globe
• Is the first female vice chairman in the company's 227-year history
• Started, and still leads, the bank's wildly successful women's network.

It's easy to prove Karen Peetz is powerful in the traditional sense of the word.

She generates roughly half of BNY Mellon's pretax income. She manages a third of its 52,000 employees in 115 cities around the globe. She is the first female vice chairman in the company's 227-year history. She started, and still leads, the bank's wildly successful women's network.

But Peetz's power goes far beyond the standard definition.

She is a connector of people and ideas. She thinks creatively about everything she does. And she does it with so much grace and confidence that you want to do it with her.

It is no exaggeration to say Peetz has inspired generations of women in financial services and beyond. As a competitor put it: "Karen is a leader in every program she supports, every group that she joins, and every event that she participates in." That surely is true of Peetz's involvement in our 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking initiative. She generously provides her time and insights, speaking at events and serving on our advisory council. She does it all with a broad smile and count-me-in attitude. Her genuine, down-to-earth personality makes her approachable, a key trait both for motivating colleagues and mentoring younger women.

What may stand out most is how effortless Peetz's success appears. There is no drama surrounding her. No arrogance. Just a calm confidence polished with optimism.

Peetz is one of the rare executives who excel at both the soft and hard sides of business. Her ability to forge real relationships, to make the people around her feel special, has been a huge factor in her ability to build and drive businesses. She also is superb organizationally, breaking down problems and developing profitable strategies.

Her inherent optimism often leads her to find solutions where others see only problems. One of Peetz's biggest fans at BNY Mellon was Robert Kelly, who stepped down as CEO last month after a disagreement with the board and was replaced by the firm's president, Gerald Hassell.

Peetz says she would love to be the CEO of a major financial institution herself someday—though at 55 she realizes that the window won't be open for long.

"You've got to get clear on what your goals are and how important are they to you," Peetz says. "You have to go for it. No one comes in with a silver platter."

Sounds a lot like the great advice she's been selflessly sharing with other women for years.

Peetz in 2010 25MPWIB (#3)
Peetz in 2009 25MPWIB (#2)
2009 Top Team: BNY Mellon
Peetz in 2008 25MPWIB (#6)