The Most Powerful Women in Banking

As chief risk officer, Helga Houston is responsible for Huntington Bancshares' annual capital plan, as well as maintaining solid credit quality. And her work speaks for itself.

Two years into her tenure as the chief executive at Bank of the West, Nandita Bakhshi is candid about the hits — and misses — she’s experienced so far as she tries to grow an institution that has long had a conservative reputation.

It’s a testament to Duck’s leadership skills that BB&T was able to revamp much of its tech infrastructure in the span of a year. It’s even more impressive that the bank hit its tech targets while its CIO was fighting the battle of her life.

As Monique Herena sees it, financial firms and investors are bypassing huge opportunities by failing to invest in industries that could increase economic opportunity for women across the globe.

Karen Larrimer, the head of PNC's retail banking unit, she has a number of big challenges on her plate including leading the charge on the launch of the company’s digital-only bank to consumers nationwide.