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Cynthia CarrollDirector Sara Lee
Country:
 USA |
Content:
Biography of Cynthia Carroll
Cynthia Carroll, an American businesswoman, is a prominent figure in the corporate world. She belongs to the first generation of female leaders who broke barriers and paved the way for women to enter boardrooms and executive committees that were previously dominated by men.
Early Life and Education
Cynthia Carroll completed her bachelor's degree in geology in 1978. She further pursued her education and earned a master's degree in geology from the University of Kansas in 1982. In 1989, she added a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University to her scientific background.
Career
From 1982 to 1987, Carroll, formerly known as Cynthia Skidmore, worked for Amoco, a subsidiary of British Petroleum, on gas and oil fields in Colorado, Alaska, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana. In 1989, she joined the Alcan group of companies and eventually became the Executive Director of its division located in Aughinish, Limerick, Ireland, in January 1996. Starting in 2002, she worked in Montreal, Canada, at Alcan's headquarters, where she served as the President and CEO of one of the company's divisions. Alcan is the second-largest aluminum producer globally after Alcoa.
Carroll is currently still serving as a director at Sara Lee and is a member of the boards of the American Aluminum Association and the International Aluminum Institute.
Accomplishments
In March 2007, Cynthia Carroll made history by becoming the first woman to chair the board of directors of Anglo American PTL, the largest South African mining company, in its 83-year history. She is one of only three female leaders on the FTSE 100 companies' list. Forbes magazine named her the seventh most powerful woman in the world for 2007, alongside notable figures such as German President Merkel.
Personal Life
Cynthia Carroll, 49 years old, is married and has four children. Her base salary at Anglo American PTL is £900,000. Her contract, signed for two years, may be terminated by the company as early as this year, in which case Carroll would receive a substantial compensation package.
