Mary Barra

First Female CEO of a Major Global Automaker

business tech
Mary Barra

Net Worth

$250M

Born

December 24, 1961 (age 64)

Country

United States

Occupation

CEO, Business Executive

Gender

female

Generation

Boomer

Marital Status

married

Children

2

Single Parent Household

No

Education

Master's

University

Kettering University (formerly GMI), Stanford University

Industries

business, tech

Wealth Category

multi-millionaire

Wealth Origin

self-made

First-Gen Wealth

Yes

Overcame

  • • Navigated male-dominated automotive industry for decades
  • • Led GM through massive ignition switch recall crisis in 2014
  • • Faced skepticism as first female CEO of major automaker
  • • Managed through COVID-19 pandemic and chip shortage crisis

Mary Barra is an American business executive who has served as the Chair and CEO of General Motors since 2014. She is the first woman to lead a major global automaker. She started her career at GM as a co-op student at age 18 and worked her way up through virtually every division over four decades to become one of the most powerful women in business.

Career Timeline

1961

Born in Waterford, Michigan

1980 Age 18
Turning Point

Started at GM as a co-op student at Pontiac Assembly

1985 Age 23
Milestone

Graduated from General Motors Institute with BS in Electrical Engineering

1988 Age 26
Milestone

Earned MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business

2008 Age 46
Milestone

Became VP of Global Manufacturing Engineering

2009 Age 47
Turning Point

Became VP of Global Human Resources during GM bankruptcy

2011 Age 49
Milestone

Became VP of Global Product Development

2014 Age 52
Milestone

Became CEO of General Motors, first woman to lead a major automaker

2014 Age 52
Setback

Testified before Congress on ignition switch recall crisis

2016 Age 54
Milestone

Elected Chairman of the GM Board of Directors

2021 Age 59
Turning Point

Announced GM's commitment to go all-electric by 2035

Notable Quotes

"Do every job you're in like you're going to do it for the rest of your life, and do it the best you can."

— Interview, 2014

"My approach is to look at the business and say, 'What are the right things to do?' Not to focus on the past, but to look forward."

— Interview, 2016

"I never set out to be the first woman CEO of a car company. I just wanted to be a CEO."

— Interview, 2018

"You've got to be willing to make tough decisions, and you've got to be willing to take risks."