Top 10: Women in Manufacturing

The manufacturing landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven not only by Industry 4.0 and the AI revolution but by a long-overdue shift in leadership demographics. 

Historically a male-dominated industry, modern manufacturing now finds its most critical strategic pivots, from electrification to global supply chain resilience, steered by women. 

While gender disparities in the broader labour market are narrowing, the manufacturing C-suite remains an elite circle where operational excellence meets visionary strategy. These 10 women represent the pinnacle of that evolution. 

They are not merely managing factories – they are architecting the future of global infrastructure, mobility and sustainable production. Their presence at the helm of the world’s largest industrial giants proves that diversity is a competitive advantage in a world where manufacturing agility is the new gold standard.

10. Lori D. Koch

Company: DuPont
Joined Company: 2002
Role: CEO

Lori D. Koch took the helm of DuPont in 2024, marking a significant chapter for the legendary materials science giant. 

Having joined the company over two decades ago as a financial analyst, Lori’s rise is a testament to deep institutional knowledge and financial acumen. 

Before becoming CEO, she served as CFO and led DuPont’s corporate businesses, focusing heavily on high-growth areas like the electric vehicle market. 

Today, she is tasked with navigating DuPont through a complex global economy, emphasising innovation in electronics, water and protection sectors while maintaining fiscal discipline.

9. Mary Barra

Company: General Motors
Joined Company: 1980
Role: Chair and CEO

Mary Barra is one of the most recognisable figure in modern automotive manufacturing. Since becoming the first female CEO of a ‘Big Three’ automaker in 2014, she has moved GM from a traditional internal-combustion manufacturer to a leader in EVs and autonomous driving. 

Her Triple Zero vision – zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion – has fundamentally reshaped the company's manufacturing footprint. 

Mary’s career at GM spans over 40 years, starting as a co-op student on the factory floor, giving her a visceral understanding of the production lines she now oversees globally.

8. Dr. Lisa Su

Company: AMD (Advanced Micro Devices)
Joined Company: 2012
Role: Chair and CEO

Dr. Lisa Su is credited with one of the most spectacular turnarounds in technology history. Since taking the lead in 2014, she has transformed AMD from a struggling chipmaker into a high-performance computing powerhouse. 

Under her leadership, AMD’s manufacturing strategy shifted to embrace cutting-edge architecture that now rivals and often surpasses industry incumbents. 

With a PhD in electrical engineering from MIT, Lisa is a ‘technical CEO’ who understands the physics of semiconductors and the market dynamics of the AI era, making her a formidable force in global silicon manufacturing.

7. Kathy Yang Chiu-chin

Company: Foxconn 
Joined Company: 2007
Role: Rotating CEO

Kathy Yang made history as the first woman to step into the Rotating CEO role at Foxconn in 2025. As a long-term veteran of the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer, Kathy has been instrumental in optimising the company’s massive global logistics and business processes. 

Her leadership is focused on building resilient operations for world-class customers like Apple and Sony. In an era of shifting supply chains, Kathy’s expertise in operational execution ensures that Foxconn remains the backbone of global consumer electronics while expanding into new territories like electric vehicles.

6. Julie Kitcher

Company: Airbus
Joined Company: 2000
Role: CSO

As Chief Sustainability Officer at Airbus, Julie Kitcher is the architect of the company’s sustainability and transformation agenda. 

In the aerospace sector, where manufacturing ‘green’ is the ultimate challenge, Julie leads the charge in pioneering sustainable aerospace. She oversees the company's performance management and internal controls, ensuring that Airbus’s ambitious goals for zero-emission flight are backed by rigorous operational auditing. 

Her role is central to navigating the regulatory and societal shifts facing the multi-billion dollar aviation manufacturing industry while promoting the Airbus brand to a global audience.

5. Stephanie Pope

Company: Boeing
Joined Company: 1994
Role: EVP and COO

Stephanie Pope serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The Boeing Company. A third-generation Boeing employee, Stephanie took on the COO role during a critical period of transition for the aerospace giant. 

Her responsibilities are vast, overseeing the performance of the company's business units responsible for supply chain, quality, manufacturing and engineering excellence. 

Stephanie is a champion of manufacturing restoration, focusing on supply chain stability and quality control.

4. April Miller Boise

Company: Intel Corporation
Joined Company: 2022
Role: EVP, Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Secretary

April Miller Boise plays a pivotal role at Intel, navigating the complex intersection of law, public policy and high-tech manufacturing. 

As Intel pursues its strategy to become a major provider of global foundry services, April leads the legal, trade and government affairs teams. 

Her work is essential for the multi-billion-dollar investments in new fabrication plants across the US and Europe. 

With over two decades of leadership experience, she ensures that Intel’s manufacturing expansion is legally sound and strategically aligned with global trade policies and semiconductor incentives.

3. Jamie L. Engstrom

Company: Caterpillar Inc.
Joined Company: 1999
Role: SVP and CIO

At Caterpillar, Jamie L. Engstrom is the digital architect of heavy machinery.

As CIO, she manages the global IT systems that keep the world's largest construction and mining equipment manufacturer running. 

Her role is a masterclass in modern manufacturing; she oversees everything from cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure to the data governance required for smart connected machinery. 

Jamie’s leadership ensures that the physical iron produced by Caterpillar is integrated with the digital tools necessary for the modern job site, proving that IT is now inseparable from the assembly line.

2. Lee Young-hee

Company: Samsung Electronics
Joined Company: 2007
Role: President of Global Marketing

Lee Young-hee shattered the glass ceiling at Samsung Electronics by becoming the first female president from outside the founding family. Her career is a benchmark for professional managers in Asia.

Since joining in 2007, she has been the visionary behind the Galaxy brand’s global image, successfully pivoting Samsung from an engineering-first company to a lifestyle brand loved by consumers. 

1. Robyn Denholm

Company: Tesla
Joined Company: 2014 (Board), 2018 (Chair)
Role: Chair of the Board

Robyn Denholm serves as the independent Chair of the Board at Tesla, a role she assumed from Elon Musk in 2018. Her presence provides a vital stabilising force for the world’s most valuable automaker. 

Robyn brings deep experience from both the automotive and technology sectors, having previously worked at Toyota and Juniper Networks. At Tesla, she oversees the board during a period of unprecedented manufacturing scaling, including the ramp-up of multiple Gigafactories worldwide. 

Her leadership ensures that the company’s governance keeps pace with its breakneck production speeds and revolutionary approach to vehicle assembly.