Women all over the world are emerging from the shadows of the home and assuming leadership roles in fields formerly thought to be entirely male. The tide is turning in our favor. The feminist wave that started a century ago with suffrage parades in the west for women’s right to vote has morphed into a roaring tidal of women empowerment in the twenty-first century. Women are progressively asserting themselves in all aspects of social, economic, and political life. Sportspeople, astronauts, politicians, artists, scientists, educators, innovators, and entrepreneurs are among them.
Nicole Junkermann Mary Barra, are the two prominent names among those sophisticated female executives who have demonstrated their worth. They are Generation Z women who aspire to be successful in their chosen fields. Despite hurdles and societal obligations, these gems have successfully reached their destination. Nicole exceeds her male peers as a female entrepreneur. Marry Barra has made a name for herself by demonstrating her entrepreneurial skills and razor-sharp leadership abilities.
The early life of Nicole Junkermann
Nicole Junkermann, who is 41 years old, was born on April 27, 1980. Her parents nurtured her as their only kid. Nicole’s father, Heinz Junkermann, was a successful businessman, as was her mother, Ingrid Junkermann. Unfortunately, Heinz passed away in June 2011. He was 83 years old at the time of his death. Nicole’s father was a wonderful man who founded and maintained a private banking firm for clients in Western Europe and Germany. He was also the managing director of the IFG Gesellschaft für Immobilienbesitz mbH. Nicole is married to Ferdinando Brachetti Peretti, and they have two children. In December 2017, the couple had their first child.
Nicole Junkermann attributes her business success to her early exposure to the business world
As Junkermann is the daughter of a well-known German businessman, Heinz Junkermann, she has spoken of accompanying him to business meetings since she was a young child. Junkermann mentioned her father’s heavy involvement in her entrepreneurial education in an article. she accompanied him to business meetings as his Spanish translator from the age of 12, and she credits her business success to her early exposure to the business world.
Nicole Junkermann – renowned entrepreneur and investor.
Nicole Junkermann graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the International University of Monaco in 1998. Junkermann began her work in sports after graduating when she co-founded Winamax, a digital football gaming service. Junkermann was a strategic investor and vice-chairperson of Infront, a sports and media firm that was subsequently sold to Bridgepoint, from 2002 to 2011. Junkermann created United in Sports, the world’s first sports-focused private equity fund, in 2007.
Junkermann has been investing in experimental technology since 2011, with investments in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, genomics, and robots. she is the creator of NJF Holdings, an international investment and finance firm that includes a venture capital arm, a private equity arm, a real estate investment arm, and the JJ Collection, which intends to utilize art as a vehicle to fight for a more open society.
Junkermann serves on the boards of Trilantic Capital Europe, OWKIN, and Shanghai Sports as a business mentor. She serves as the secretary of state for the Healthtech Advisory Board, which is tasked with assisting the UK government in technologically transforming the NHS. Junkermann speaks six languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, and has worked and lived in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Another rising star- The Mary Barra
Mary Barra is an American entrepreneur who is best known as the CEO of General Motors Company, which she has held since January 2014. Barra is the world’s first female CEO of a major automotive manufacturer. Mary Barra was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, but spent much of her childhood in Waterford, Michigan, where she attended local schools and graduated from Waterford Mott High School. She enrolled in the General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan, which has since been renamed Kettering University, to seek a career in the automobile sector. she studied there for a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. She also became a member of Tau Beta Pi, the campus engineering society. Barra went on to earn a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1990 after graduating.
Marry Barra phenomenal leadership Journey
Mary Barra didn’t waste any time getting into the workforce. She joined the GM firm while studying at the General Motors Institute at the age of 18. She began by performing simple inspections, such as checking hoods and fenders, and she utilized the money she earned to pay for her education. She was entrusted with increasing duties as her experience and understanding of automobiles and the GM brand grew, holding numerous positions in engineering and administration before eventually rising to become the manager of the Detroit Assembly plant. Barra joined the company as Vice President of Global Manufacturing Engineering in February 2008. In 2009, she was named Vice President of Global Human Resources, a post she held for two years before moving on to Vice President of Global Product Development.
Barra was then given several critical responsibilities, and her role was expanded to include Global Purchasing and Supply Chain chores, before eventually rising to the top and succeeding Dan Akerson as CEO in 2014.
Barra had numerous hurdles throughout her first year. Barra had to appear before the Senate about the company’s scores of safety recalls affecting tens of millions of vehicles. In response, she spearheaded the creation of several new safety measures aimed at improving business culture and making the workplace safer for both employees and customers.
She also assisted the corporation in embracing the growing shift towards driverless and electric vehicles, acquiring the start-up Strobe and becoming the first major automaker to offer an electric car for less than $40,000, the Chevy Bolt EV.
Leadership lessons to learn from Marry Barra
First and foremost, keep things simple and honest.
Barra had a reputation for being incredibly open and honest with GM employees even before she was named CEO. “No more bad automobiles,” she told engineers and designers when she was the head of Product Development. In an interview with Fortune magazine, she expanded on this concept, saying, “We didn’t give them a recipe for success because we set so many limitations on them” No more excuses, we say. We have to make amazing cars, trucks, and crossovers regardless of budget or resources, and we must make that possible.” Barra seemed to demand some frankness in exchange for her honesty. She encourages GM employees to speak out when something goes wrong and to address issues head-on. She’s using social media to help her with this. She blogs monthly on Linked In’s Pulse, tweets regularly and posts to Facebook.
Focus on the company and the consumer.
Many people credit Barra’s success at GM to her ability to keep the company’s interests – rather than her own – at the forefront of her mind. She was able to stay focused on the present by addressing each GM assignment as if she would be doing it for the rest of her life. And if a strong foundation is laid in the now, the future will mostly take care of itself.
Barra’s focus on the present has become more expansive since becoming CEO. She and her executive team have created a new set of core values that represent how the company’s goals – and those of its consumers – are inextricably linked.
Barra uses her extensive understanding of both human and engineering dynamics in her effort to rebuild GM. She amplifies and directs the energy of her people by exhibiting authenticity, boldness, integrity, and resilience from a human standpoint. She follows tried-and-true engineering practices, such as shared and aggressive goals, cross-functional teamwork, and built-in feedback loops. Barra’s unique and compelling leadership style stems from his command of both the human and technological realms.
Final words
Men have dominated the business world for years at the top of the corporate ladder. However, the rise of powerful women like Nicole Junkermann and Mary Barra ushered in a new age for businesswomen all around the world. Women are now working side by side in a range of fields, including publishing, technology, fashion, radio, and cosmetics, to build their firms as household names. They inspire us in all sectors of life because they fulfill so many roles for so many people. When it comes to entrepreneurship, however, they not only inspire us but also provide a good example.
