Kraft boss bumps Pepsi chief as top U.S. woman exec

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kraft Foods boss Irene Rosenfeld is the most powerful woman in U.S. business, Fortune magazine said on Thursday, bumping PepsiCo Inc chief Indra Nooyi into second spot after five years on top.

The 14th annual ranking was determined by the size and importance of the woman's business in the global economy, the health and direction of the business, the arc of the woman's career and her social and cultural relevance.

"Rosenfeld made a big show of power this year with her decision to split Kraft into two companies, a reversal of her previous strategy of expanding through acquisitions," Fortune magazine said of the Kraft chief executive, who led a hostile $18 billion takeover of Britain's Cadbury last year.

"On Nooyi's watch, PepsiCo has forged further into nutrition-focused products," Fortune said. "But Nooyi has been criticized for taking her eye off the core North American soda business, which has lost share to Coke."

Nooyi was the only woman in the top 10 most powerful to be among the top 10 highest paid, coming in at No. 9 after earning $14 million last year. The highest paid woman was Oracle President Safra Catz with $42 million.

Just a week after being appointed chief executive of Hewlett-Packard Co, Meg Whitman -- who was chief executive of eBay Inc until 2008 and last year ran a failed bid to become governor of California -- returned to the ranking of the top 50 most powerful business women at No. 9.

"While her ascent to the role is a sure sign of her power, it remains to be seen if she can fix the computer maker and bring order to its dysfunctional board," Fortune said.

Whitman filled a top 10 vacancy left by the firing over the phone last month of Yahoo Inc Chief Executive Carol Bartz, who has now dropped off the Fortune list.

PUSH FOR WOMEN IN BOARDROOMS

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey fell 10 spots to No. 16 with Fortune saying her influence had waned after hosting the final season of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in May. Johnson & Johnson Vice Chairman, Executive Committee, Sherilyn McCoy, filled that top 10 opening, coming in at the 10th spot.

Otherwise the top of the list was largely unchanged from 2010.

Archer Daniels Midland Chief Executive Patricia Woertz came in at No. 3, followed by DuPont Chief Executive Ellen Kullman, Wellpoint Chief Executive Angela Braly and Avon Products Chief Executive Andrea Jung.

Rounding out the top 10 was IBM Senior Vice President Ginni Rometty at No. 7, followed by Xerox Chief Executive Ursula Burns.

While women represent about half of the United States' white-collar workers, they are a rarity in the upper echelons of business, with female chief executives running just 3 percent of companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 index.

More companies have been focusing recently on increasing their female board representation as more and more research has shown that companies with women directors or even just more diverse boards tend to do better than those with executive teams made up entirely of men.

Some countries such as Norway and Spain have introduced quotas requiring a minimum level of female board representation.

A former British trade minister wants FTSE 100 companies to have 25 percent women on boards by 2015 and EU internal market commissioner Michel Barnier has put gender diversity for bank boards on his radar in the wake of the financial crisis.

Credit -yahoonews

It's a pretty good year for Donatella! 

The H&M collaboration is about to crush retail and many women are feeling the Versace vibe. Once again, Donatella has revisited the Versace archives for inspiration but with a new twist on the pieces.

The mood for the Spring collection was set by the luminescent glow which gave the models an angelic feel. Everything she did for summer was clean, bright, brilliantly made. The statement pieces like biker jackets; studded, second-skin pencil skirts; gold, sparkling summer pastels; mini-gladiator dresses and long flown dresses were still in there, but in a more soft way. Almost like the collection had an underwater theme. This came together with amazing accessories: the studded handbags, the amazing sunglasses and killer heels (not to wear by everybody, as even model Lindsey Wixson fell on the runway)

The collection was yet again edgy but still an ode to femininety!

*What's your opinion on the collection and are you excited for her H&M collection?*

Style

Versace

What is Marketing

Whatis marketing?

... 1. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You goup to her and say: ' I am very rich. Marry me! ' - That's Direct Marketing'

... 2. You're at a party with a bunch of friendsand see a gorgeous girl. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at yousays: ' He's very rich. 'Marry him.' -That's Advertising'

... 3. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You goup to her and get her telephone number. The next day, you call and say: ' Hi,I'm very rich. 'Marry me - That's Telemarketing'

... 4. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. Youget up and straighten your tie, you walk up to her and pour her a drink, youopen the door (of the car)for her, pick up her bag after she drops it, offerher ride and then say:'By the way, I'm rich. Will you 'Marry Me?' - That'sPublic Relations'

... 5. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. Shewalks up to you and says:'You are very rich! 'Can you marry ! Me?' - That'sBrand Recognition'


6. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up toher and say: 'I am very rich. Marry me!' She gives you a nice hard slap on yourface. - ' That's Customer Feedback '

7. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up toher and say: 'I am very rich. Marry me!' And she introduces you to her husband.- 'That's demand and supply gap'


8. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up toher and before you say anything, another person come and tell her: 'I'm rich. Willyou marry me?' and she goes with him - 'That's competition eating into yourmarket share'

9. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up toher and before you say: 'I'm rich, Marry me!' your wife arrives. - ' That'srestriction for entering new markets'

JUST FOR LAUGH

Global Growth at Risk

U.S. stocks werethrashed Thursday, with the major indexes taking their hardest single-day hitin five weeks, amid widespread selling of stocks and commodities on escalatedfears about the global economy.

After falling almost 528 points during thesession, the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA -3.51%  finished with a drop of 391.01 points, or 3.5%,at 10,733.83.

The battering left the Dow nearly 14 points above its lowestclose for the year and represented its steepest drop since Aug. 18.

All 30 of the blue-chip index’s componentslost ground, with United Technologies Corp. UTX +0.16%  hardest hit, its shares tumbling 8.8%.

The negativesentiment taking hold among investors is “driven by the bank runs in Europe,and some of the European banks are rumored to be looking in the Middle East forcapital; it’s like a replay of 2008 for some of the U.S. banks,” said CharlieSmith, chief investment officer at Fort Pitt Capital.

“When you talkabout bank recapitalizing and going to places like Dubai to do it, everythingechoes back to 2008 except economic fundamentals,” said Lazard’s Hogan.

U.S. stocks werepart of a global stock selloff as investors also reacted to the FederalReserve’s statement late Wednesday. The central bank warned of risks to theeconomic outlook and unveiled a bond-swap program, seen as something that wouldhave minimal sway in revitalizing growth.

“The Fed cannotengender growth; the Fed cannot engender risk-taking. What it can do is bufferdeclines, but let’s see a real decline,” said Smith at Fort Pitt Capital,pointing out that the S&P 500 is down 5.8% for the year to date, on a totalreturn basis. “Let’s talk when we make it 18% or 20%. The Fed is going to holdtheir fire until they see the whites of people’s panicked eyes.” 

Credit -marketwatch

The Russian It girl Miroslava Duma has a wardrobe to die for. I always liked the pieces she wears, but especially the ones she selected for New York Fashion Week.

Miroslava Duma was an editor for Harpers Bazaar Russia and now is a freelance writer for numerous big magazines as OK and Glamour. Known for her statement pieces and jewelry, she is a staple on any fashion blog and especially popular with street style photographers. Best known for her coveted collection of Hermes bags and Louis Vuitton scarves, Miroslava never puts a fashion foot wrong. What I personally love about her style is the way she combines big labels with vintage, and wearing the pieces in a effortless, nonchalant chic way. She always looks fresh and modern!
& If you want to see her daily outfits you can visit her blog here!

Enjoy!

Sources:

Jak Jil

Easy Fashion

Buro 24/7

Joseph Altuzarra wanted his spring collection to be as he articulated: "mixing super techno with super kitsch." He combined sculpted body-con dresses and blazers with florals. That Altuzarra was feeling the tropics was clear as models walked in front of a backdrop of lush jungle greens. But he wanted to maintain the 'city girl' he always has in mind, which we see in the styling: bare faces with strong blackened in eyebrows. The collection was almost divided in 2 themes which came together in the end: first he started with the graphic leather dresses in black or white. Then he went over to tropical flower and bird prints. And then the 2 styles came together teamed with a lot of stunning leather details.
Mission accomplished!

*Enjoy the collection and give me your opinion*

Sources:

Vogue

Style

LV Island Maison