The latest figures from Fortune 500 companies reveal that only 55 women hold CEO positions, representing 11% of the top roles—up modestly from 10.4% last year
Notably, all newly appointed female CEOs this year were internal promotions—from companies like Ulta Beauty, U.S. Bank, and S&P Global—while men continue to be brought in through external hiring. This reflects a wider trend seen in education and other sectors, where women are promoted from within and often serve in interim roles before securing permanent positions.
While almost one in nine Fortune 500 companies now has a female CEO, the pace of change remains glacial. And despite women demonstrating strong leadership—especially during crisis or interim periods—they're still under-sighted and underrepresented at the very top .
