Business

Sampriti Bhattacharyya (1987 - Present)

Founder & CEO, Innovator, Engineer and Robotictisit

Sampriti Bhattacharyya freed herself from the restrictive traditional gender roles in India, rejecting the expectations of becoming a housewife or having a subdued job. Instead, she became an Indian-origin CEO and founder of Navier Boats, a company that creates electrical-flying and sustainable-luxury boats. Her greatest accomplishment at Navier is the creation of an electric hydrofoil boat called the Navier 30 (N30).

Although Bhattacharyya loved science and math, she failed physics in high school and was not encouraged to further her education. Even when she did decide to enhance her education through internships, she got rejected from more than 500 of them. However, she was so persistent and determined on becoming a scientist that she continued trying, leading her to being the founder and CEO of Navier Boats.

“If you really want something, go out and get it. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do because it is important to know that your work is something you will spend all your life doing…. It will be hard and you might fail many times, but the most important lesson I have learned doing my startup is perseverance.” - Sampriti Bhattacharyya

Learn More


Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (1970 - Present)

Southeast Asia’s first female self-made billionaire

Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao is Southeast Asia’s first female self-made billionaire. She became a millionaire at 21 as the founder and CEO of Vietjet Airlines, along with Sovico Group (an investment company), and other successful business endeavors such as her travel resorts. In 2016, she was ranked 52nd in Forbes Power Women and in Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen.

From humble beginnings in Vietnam, Nguyen was able to make a name for herself, while offering thousands of Vietnamese citizens something they didn’t have access to: flight. As a billionaire now, she gives back to her community through charity work.

“Don’t go small, go for the big deals.” - Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao

Learn More


Alice Sheets Marriott (1907 - 2000)

American Entrepreneur

Alice Sheets Marriott was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and began attending university at only 16 years old. From there, she caught the eye of J.Willard Marriott, whom she married a day after her graduation. Soon after, they launched a small root beer stand, and though it gradually lost popularity, they quickly adapted to the situation by shifting their business model to a restaurant, using recipes Alice obtained from a chef at the Mexican embassy. Overall, Alice played a significant and active role in their business, taking up tasks such as bookkeeping and making major decisions. Decades later, Marriott International has become one of the biggest hospitality companies in the world.

In addition, Alice is also praised for her philanthropic spirit, manifested through her numerous posts in institutions. Specifically, she was a member of the JFK Centre for Performing Arts, the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse, and many more charitable organizations. Today, Marriott’s five companies have had over $20B in sales, with Alice’s descendants continuing the Marriott legacy.

“My mother was a true partner to my father in the early days of the business.” – J.W. Marriott, Jr.

Learn More


Amy Hood (1971 - Present)

American Businesswoman, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Microsoft Corporation

Amy Hood is an American businesswoman who has made substantial advancements in the business and marketing fields. She is most widely known for being the first female Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Microsoft Corporation.

Hood joined Microsoft in 2002, and has since then advanced the company’s business operations, including global real estate, treasury, accounts, reports, and acquisitions. Her contributions have shaped how many view the business and technology world.

“As the leadership team, we’re taking bold and decisive action to evolve our organization and culture. This includes difficult steps, but they are necessary to position Microsoft for future growth and industry leadership.” - Amy Hood

Learn More


Muriel “Mickie” Siebert (1928 - 2013)

The First Female Wall Street Broker, “The First Woman on Finance,” First Woman to Hold a Seat on the New York Stock Exchange, and First Female Superintendent of Banking

Muriel Siebert was a monumental figure for women interested in finance and opportunities on Wall Street. She began as a researcher on Wall Street in 1954, and from there became a Wall Street power house. In 1967, she was the first woman to buy a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. She was the only woman on the exchange where 1,365 men sat for 10 years.

Muriel faced bias everyday for being a woman and of Jewish heritage. The inequity she faced did not stop her resilience on Wall Street, reaching a position as the Superintendent of Banking in New York. As time progressed, she even ran for the United States Senate.

She created multiple opportunities for underrepresented people to learn about finance, and in 1994, Muriel was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

“I put my head down, and charge.” - Muriel Siebert

Learn More


Keiana Cavé (1998 - Present)

Founder of Sublima, Entrepreneur, and Scientist

Keiana Cavé is the founder of Sublima, a pharmaceutical company aimed at creating the first non-hormonal birth control. Cavé began chemical research shortly after the BP oil spill in 2010, and she studied the oil on the ocean’s surface and its harmful effects. She then developed and patented a new way to detect toxins in the ocean after oil spills. After her newfound research, she founded a start-up, called Mare, that focused on neutralizing cancer-causing chemicals in the ocean. The company was later acquired for over $1 million dollars.

Her extensive research and developments have awarded her spots on Forbes 30 under 30 in 2017, on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Young Millionaires List of 2018, on Glamour Magazine’s 2018 College Women of the Year, and as a two-time Tedx Speaker.

Known as a “femtech” entrepreneur and a role model in STEM, Cavé is currently focused on revolutionizing the world of medicine and chemistry with her newest company Sublima.

“I want to continue exploring women's health and find solutions to the questions that I am curious about.” - Keiana Cavé

Learn More


Emma Revie (1976 - Present)

CEO of Anti-Poverty Food Bank Trussell Trust & Housing Association Youth Charity Ambition

As the CEO of several charitable organizations, Emma Revie has reached over half a million young children, in addition to hundreds of thousands of families across the UK, through her food pantries, housing associations, and community youth clubs. Running the largest food bank in the UK may prove to be a challenge to people such as Revie, but her compassionate and practical approach to the network aims to keep families afloat. In a post-COVID society where the demand for food and services has only increased, Revie has played a heavy hand in aiding families across the UK. While she loves her work in the Trussell Trust, she acknowledges and strongly advocates for a future where food banks are no longer needed, and people like her or her volunteers can build a hunger free future - “a future where people don’t have to come to food banks.”

“My hope is topped up to the top about people’s willingness to help their neighbors, to see that what they think is right is done, and to step forward.” - Emma Revie

Learn More


Mary Harris Smith (1844 - 1934)

First Female Accountant turned Entrepreneur

Mary Harris was the first female chartered accountant in the world and was a female pioneer within the field of accounting. She was also one of the most significant British suffragettes during the 19th century. She believed that women should have equal status as men in every field of work and abided by this belief her whole life. She was the first female fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the third individual to be commemorated by a blue plaque in London.

“Require of me what you would require of a man and I will fulfill it.” —Mary Harris Smith, 1895 “The Women’s Signal” Magazine.

Learn More