The Most Powerful Women in Banking 2021

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There’s a new name atop our Most Powerful Women in Banking rankings.

She’s been a mainstay on this list for years, but now commands the No. 1 spot after becoming the first female chief executive of a U.S.-based global bank.

The rest of the group also should be familiar to American Banker readers, with all having been among the 2020 Most Powerful Women in Banking or among the 2020 Most Powerful Women to Watch.

Four women that had been on this list last year are absent, including Thasunda Duckett and Rosilyn Houston, who have moved on to new jobs, and State Street’s Hannah Grove, who retired. CIT Group Chair and CEO Ellen Alemany, whose company is in the process of merging with First Citizens BancShares, is also not part of the list this year, as she will be moving into a board role once the deal closes.

We can expect more of a shake-up in 2022 as three stalwarts have announced plans to retire later this year. Two of them, Bank of America’s Anne Finucane and HSBC’s Diane Reyes, have been appearing in these rankings for more than a decade.

Scroll through to see the full list of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking for 2021.

Also be sure to check out:

• The Most Powerful Women to Watch
• The Most Powerful Women in Finance
• Top Teams
• Standouts