Great Women In Business: Irene Rosenfeld, CEO, Mondelēz International

A food and beverage industry veteran,

Rosenfeld had previously held positions with General Foods and Frito-Lay before becoming chief of Kraft Foods in 2006. When Kraft split into two publicly traded companies in 2011, Rosenfeld picked the helm of the global arm of the snack and grocery business, which operates in more than 80 countries worldwide. The New York native has deftly managed the company during a difficult period for the snack food business due to supply chain disruptions and the rising costs of staple ingredients like wheat and cocoa.

Just more capable than us normal mortals.
— Kraft Employees
She’s clear, she’s consistent, she’s gutsy.
— Kraft Employees

This New York–born boss showed nerves of steel over the past year. She bought a $370 million controlling stake in a Vietnamese snack maker, allowing Mondelēz access to manufacturing and distributing in that growing market. She elbowed away the unwanted attention of notorious corporate raider Nelson Peltz. And she OK’d a change in the recipe for Cadbury’s Creme Eggs, apparently incurring the wrath of everyone in the United Kingdom. Cry her a river: Rosenfeld doesn’t back down.