Sallie Krawcheck, CEO, Ellevest

Sallie Krawcheck is the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital investment platform for women. She seeks to aid women in reaching their financial and professional goals and closing the gender gap in investments by believing that: ""investing in women is simply smart business.""

Krawcheck grew up in Charleston, S.C. She went on to study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received a degree in journalism before heading to Columbia Business School, where she obtained her M.B.A. in 1992. Her career began as an equity analyst covering the Wall Street firms before becoming director of research and then chairman and CEO of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co in 2001.

Sometimes referred to as the most powerful woman on Wall Street, Krawcheck went on to become CEO at Smith Barney then Citi Wealth Management and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management before co-founding and becoming CEO of Ellevest in 2015. She was rated number 9 on the Fast Company's ""100 Most Creative People 2014"" and was ranked as No. 67 on Forbes' ""Power Women"" list in 2011 and as No.44 in 2010.

She is known to turn around and grow failing wealth management businesses, advise start-up companies and focus on education-oriented philanthropy. She serves as chair at Ellevate Network, chair at Pax Ellevate Management and board member of directors at 2U.Krawcheck lives with her husband Gary Appel in New York and has two children.