The Most Powerful Women in Banking

Perhaps it is a manifestation of Maura Markus' get-things-done attitude that new technology and products are rolling out so quickly at Bank of the West these days. Outstanding results are a priority too, and she is not falling short in that regard either.

Caryl Athanasiu might not contribute directly to profit at Wells Fargo, but at a time when operational risk is a key concern for regulators, keeping the bank out of trouble ultimately can have an earnings impact.

This summer, with JPMorgan still in the hot seat over a spate of regulatory issues, it was Marianne Lake who did most of the talking on the company's second-quarter earnings call, which immediately inspired talk about her potential as a Jamie Dimon successor.

A top priority at Capital One last year was the integration of the card business it acquired from HSBC. Leading the task was Heather Cox, the company's EVP of domestic card operations.

Dispatched to Charlotte, N.C., after Wells Fargo's acquisition of Wachovia, Laura Schulte has played a central role in making Wells a major retail force throughout the eastern half of the country.