8 Carol Tomé

Chief Executive Officer

UPS https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbtome/

Twice recognised on Forbes’ list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (#16 and #12), Carol Tomé started at international trucking company UPS in 2003 on its Board of Directors; in 2020, she was appointed as the 12th CEO in its 115-year history.

The company, headquartered in Atlanta, has the ethos “moving our world forward by delivering what matters”, which encapsulates Tomé’s pride: “UPS is a company with a proud past and an even brighter future.

Our values define us. Our culture differentiates us. Our strategy drives us. At UPS, we are customer-first, peopleled, and innovation-driven.”

Prior to UPS, she spent nearly 25 years at The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer. Joining in 1995 as Vice President and Treasurer, she left in 2019 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

During her time there, The Home Depot grew from 400 stores to 2,200, with a revenue of nearly US$100bn and 450% increase in share price. Tomé has sat on multiple boards, including as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; a Board Trustee for the Grady Memorial Hospital; on the Board of Directors of the Verizon Communications; the Atlanta Botanical Garden; and a member of The Committee of 200, The Business Council, and the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum.

She has been recognised by The Wall Street Journal as the number two Chief Financial Officer in 2012 and by Fortune Magazine as one of the top 50 most powerful women in business.

Marion Gross

Global Chief Supply Chain Officer

McDonald’s https://www.linkedin.com/in/marionkgross/

Supporting 37,000 restaurants and 64 million customers internationally, Marion Gross is Executive Vice President and Global Chief Supply Chain Officer at McDonald’s. Focusing on resiliency while activating industry-wide progress in safety, quality, and sustainability with her team, Gross has been with McDonald’s for nearly 30 years. Under her leadership, McDonald’s achieved Gartner Supply Chain Masters recognition for five consecutive years and is ranked in the Top 10 global supply chains.

Known for her consistent focus on developing strong, diverse teams – where senior leaders are 57% female and 43% people of colour – to drive business results, her remit encompasses food quality and safety, strategic sourcing and cost management, distribution, logistics and supply chain integration, sustainability, new product commercialisation and execution, field execution, and supplier business diversity.

Gross has been the recipient of many industry awards, named in the 100 Most influential Women in Supply Chain by Global Women Supply Chain Leaders (2021); a CNN Risk Taker (2019); Chicago United Business Leader of Color (2019); 50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America by Black Enterprise (2015); and Most Powerful and Influential Women in Illinois by National Diversity Council (2012).

She actively supports causes that care for the homeless, underserved children, Special Olympics athletes, and veterans – including as Board ViceChair and an Executive Committee Member for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Gross studied at Western Illinois University, gaining her Bachelor of Science in Distribution and Logistics, and is a graduate of the Thunderbird Leadership in the Global Enterprise Program and Leadership Greater Chicago Fellows Program.