Women in the C-suite: Marissa Mayer is in good company

When Marissa Mayer threw away her VP job at Google to take over as Yahoo’s new CEO, she was making a very conscious career decision, and one that would take her straight to the top of a huge, global company.

While female tech founders are growing in number all the time, women heading up established companies in technology and working as prominent partners at influential VC firms are still something of a rarity. But they do exist, and they’re shining examples of ambition, talent, political prowess, and perseverance.

Check ‘em out, and be sure to congratulate Ms. Mayer on her long-awaited C-suite position.

mary meeker Mary Meeker is a partner at Silicon Valley VC firm Kleiner Perkins. She's also one of just 5 women on Forbes' tech-focused Midas List for 2012. Mary Meeker is a partner at Silicon Valley VC firm Kleiner Perkins. She's also one of just 5 women on Forbes' tech-focused Midas List for 2012.
rometty Virginia Rometty is IBM's CEO. She is the first woman to head IBM. Virginia Rometty is IMB's CEO. She is the first woman to head IBM.
Sandberg Sheryl Sandberg is the business brains behind Facebook. She's the company's COO and its newest board member. Sheryl Sandberg is the business brains behind Facebook. She's the company's COO and its newest board member.
theresa Theresia Gouw Ranzetta is a VC at Accel Partners. She’s on the boards of companies as diverse as TRUSTe and ModCloth. She was also a big part of Accel’s investment in Walmart.com. But her biggest claims to fame are a string of wildly successful exits: IPOs and acquisitions that have made headlines over the past few years. Theresia Gouw Ranzetta is a VC at Accel Partners. She’s on the boards of companies as diverse as TRUSTe and ModCloth. She was also a big part of Accel’s investment in Walmart.com. But her biggest claims to fame are a string of wildly successful exits: IPOs and acquisitions that have made headlines over the past few years.
whitman Meg Whitman is HP's CEO. She is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Business School, and in 2009, she announced her candidacy for Governor of California, becoming the third woman in a twenty year period to run for the office and winning the Republican primary.
burns Ursula Burns is Xerox's chair and CEO. She is the first African-American woman CEO to head a Fortune 500 company. In 2009, Forbes rated her the 14th most powerful woman in the world. Ursula Burns is Xerox's chair and CEO. She is the first African-American woman CEO to head a Fortune 500 company. In 2009, Forbes rated her the 14th most powerful woman in the world.