These are the 2026 CNBC Changemakers: See the full list of women transforming business
#CNBC Changemakers#Women in business#Gender gap#Female leadership#Business transformation#2026 honorees#Corporate diversity
📌 Key Takeaways
CNBC released its third annual Changemakers list recognizing 50 women transforming business
Women currently lead 11% of Fortune 500 companies, a record but still representing a significant gender gap
Honorees were selected based on both quantitative and qualitative impact from 2025 achievements
The list includes diverse sectors from energy to technology, highlighting women breaking barriers in male-dominated fields
📖 Full Retelling
CNBC, in collaboration with its Changemakers Advisory Board, released the 2026 CNBC Changemakers list on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, recognizing women who have made transformative impacts across various business sectors, addressing both the growing gender gap in corporate leadership and pressing social issues. This third annual list spotlights 50 exceptional women from diverse fields including energy, financial services, health care, media, retail, sports, and technology who are creating multibillion-dollar companies, breaking barriers in male-dominated industries, and tackling global challenges. The selection process evaluated candidates through both quantitative and qualitative lenses, specifically honoring those who achieved meaningful milestones in 2025. Notable honorees include Kim Kardashian for Skims, Gail Boudreaux of Elevance Health, and athletes turned entrepreneurs like Jayna Hefford of the Professional Women's Hockey League. Despite women now leading a record 11% of Fortune 500 companies—a number that has steadily increased over the past decade—this figure still represents a substantial gender gap that continues to widen in key corporate positions. The Changemakers exemplify how women are defying odds through innovative approaches to business challenges and identifying new opportunities across industries.
🏷️ Themes
Gender diversity, Business innovation, Social impact
A gender gap is a relative disparity between people of different genders. It's reflected in a variety of sectors in many societies. There exist differences between men and women as reflected in social, political, intellectual, cultural, scientific, and economic attainments or attitudes.
Business transformation involves making fundamental changes to how a business is operated in order to adapt to shifts in market environment. This relatively narrow definition overlooks other reasons and rationales. A better understanding is achieved by considering that transformation is a response t...
Women's participation in, and contribution to, business
The phrase women in business refers to female businesspeople who hold positions, particularly leadership in the fields of commerce, business, and entrepreneurship. It advocates for their increased participation in business.
Increased participation of women in business can be important for variation...
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Original Source
Tune in all day for coverage of the 2026 CNBC Changemakers CNBC Changemakers: Women Transforming Business is an annual list spotlighting women whose accomplishments have left an indelible mark on the business world. Pamela Abdy Val Ackerman Lisa Anderson Rachel Blank Eimear Bonner Gail Boudreaux Sarah Buchner Amy Butte Elyse Cohen Felicia Curcuru Allison Ellsworth Hanneke Faber Sophie Goldschmidt Elena Gomez Selena Gomez Natalie Gordon Vinita Gupta Mary Claire Haver Jayna Hefford Nicole Hockley Amy Howe Pearlena Igbokwe Laura Ipsen Jenny Johnson Cristina Junqueira Lindsay Jurist-Rosner Kim Kardashian Francine Katsoudas Reshema Kemps-Polanco Kristin Lemkau Luana Lopes Lara Gina Mastantuono Tekedra Mawakana Johanna Mercier Mira Murati Marie Myers Kara Nortman Artemis Patrick Asahi Pompey Mary Powell Helen Sabzevari Kristina Saffran Suchi Saria Amy Scheer Kendra Scott Sukhinder Singh Cassidy Minna Song Jane Sun Sherrie Westin Susie Wolff CNBC Changemakers These are the 2026 CNBC Changemakers: See the full list of women transforming business Published Wed, Feb 25 2026 6:00 AM EST CNBC.com staff @CNBC WATCH LIVE The third annual CNBC Changemakers list recognizes women transforming business and philanthropy across sectors including energy, financial services, health care, media, retail, sports and technology. These women are creating multibillion-dollar companies and brands, breaking down barriers in male-dominated industries, and tackling pressing social issues around the world. With guidance from the Changemakers Advisory Board , CNBC evaluated the applicants' impact through both quantitative and qualitative lenses . Changemakers have been chosen for reaching a meaningful achievement in 2025, specifically. Women now run a record 11% of Fortune 500 companies, a number that's been on the rise over the past decade. But that record number still represents a massive gender gap, and the gap is growing in key roles across corporate America. Changemakers defy the odds by taking...
