20 - DEBRA A. SANDLER, president, Mars Chocolate North America
We end our gallery with chocolate, and the woman in charge of one of the biggest players in the market: Debra Sandler, president of Mars Chocolate North America.
Pathway to the top: Sandler started her career in marketing at PepsiCo, where she progressed rapidly, holding roles including director of brand Pepsi and vice president of marketing for the Caribbean and Latin American Division of Tricon Restaurants International (Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut).
Her next move was to Johnson & Johnson in 1999 as vice president of worldwide marketing for McNeil Specialty Products where she was put in charge of the launch of Splenda. She joined Mars in 2009 as chief consumer officer and has been president of Mars Chocolate North America since March 2012.
Education: Sandler has a degree in International Business from Hofstra University, an MBA from the New York University Stern School of Business and an Honorary PhD from Long Island University.