The list compiles influential women who excel in their respective fields and foster female leadership in various fields.
Almost ten years ago, in its inaugural edition, Forbes praised the influence of Brazilian women, warning, however, of the striking contrast in the representation of female leaders. Although there were initial signs of progress, subsequent data revealed a setback: the 2017 World Economic Forum Gender Inequality Report revealed Brazil’s fall from 79th to 90th position.
We remained orbiting this vexatious level until, in the 2023 report, we rose to 57th position among 146 countries evaluated. Created in 2006, the Global Gender Inequality Index annually assesses gender equality in aspects such as economic participation, educational success, health and political empowerment.
Celebrate progress? Absolutely. But do we accommodate ourselves? No way. The World Economic Forum predicts it will take 130 years to eradicate global gender inequality! Among the 16 honorees in this edition, many share the extra obstacles they encounter in their careers simply because they are not men.
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Here is the list of successful women in Brazil chosen by Forbes
15 Alcyone Brown
Alcione, also known as Marrom, born in São Luís do Maranhão, began her musical journey early due to her father’s involvement with music. Despite initially pursuing a career in teaching, she dedicated herself to music after being fired for teaching trumpet to students.
Moving to Rio de Janeiro in search of better opportunities, he gained prominence on the samba scene, receiving the nickname “Marrom” and achieving success with hits such as “Não Let o Samba Morrer”.
Throughout her career, Alcione has received numerous awards, including gold and platinum records, as well as prestigious awards such as the Tim Music Award for Best Samba Singer. She is celebrated not only in her home state of Maranhão, but throughout Brazil, with various tributes and even having places named in her honor. Alcione remains a revered figure in Brazilian music, often mentioned alongside other iconic artists such as Beth Carvalho and Clara Nunes.
14 Alcione Albanesi
Alcione Albanesi is a prominent businesswoman and social entrepreneur who leads a team of more than 10,300 volunteers to positively impact the lives of 75,000 people every day.
Previously president and founder of FLC, a leading light bulb company in Brazil, she shifted her focus to social transformation, founding Amigos do Bem in 1993. Through this organization, she addresses poverty in northeastern Brazil with projects focused on education, employment, access to water, housing and health.
Alcione Albanesi’s dedication has earned her numerous awards and honors, including Entrepreneur of the Year and recognition as one of the 500 most influential personalities in Latin America by Bloomberg Brazil. She continues to work tirelessly for a future where poverty and hunger in the region are things of the past.
13 Alessandra Montagne
The trajectory of Alessandra Montagne Gomes, a 46-year-old carioca who became chef and owner of the Nosso and Tempero restaurants in Paris, is worthy of a fairy tale. Chosen to lead the Ducasse Experience at the Louvre Museum, she had a challenging childhood in Poté, Minas Gerais, after being abandoned by her mother.
Facing adversity from an early age, including violence and bullying, Alessandra did not give up. She sold coxinhas to finance her move to Paris, where, from scratch, she built a notable career in cooking, working alongside renowned chefs and being recognized for her contribution to gastronomy, incorporating the Brazilian essence into her cuisine.
His inspiring story of overcoming and success is highlighted in the book “De Rio à Paris, ma cuisine de coeur”, released in 2023, and will be celebrated in his new restaurant in the Louvre, promising to bring a special flavor of Brazil to the heart of Paris.
12 Amanda Oliveira
Amanda Oliveira, born in a Brazilian favela, overcame poverty through access to quality education provided by an NGO. She is now a social entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Mundo das Valkyrias, impacting the lives of more than 150,000 children and women annually.
Fluent in social entrepreneurship, she is the author of “The Valkyrie Way of Managing” and has received numerous awards, including Forbes Under 30. Recognized by McKinsey, with Carolina Herrera as godmother of her NGO, she works to eliminate social and social inequality. gender.
Amanda’s vision includes transforming her city’s favelas into poverty-free zones and building the “Castle of Social Equality”, aiming to empower poor children through the Emotional Architecture of Social Emancipation. She believes in breaking the cycle of poverty by restoring the rights of women and children, ensuring a better future for all.
11 Ana Oliva
Graduated in business administration, Ana Oliva, who is from Jundiaí, in the interior of São Paulo, had to take over the reins of the succession process of her grandfather, Seu Francisco Oliva, who created a group of companies from a carpentry shop founded in 1957.
Now, the Astra and Japi industries, which are part of this group, together have 2,000 employees, 7 manufacturing parks and 8,000 products in a portfolio that ranges from toilet seats to dog houses. Last year, the group achieved an impressive turnover of 1 billion reais.
10 Carla Sarni
Carla Sarni, mother, wife, an award-winning businesswoman and renowned dentist, alongside her husband, Dr. Cleber, who left his military career to manage the clinics, transformed Sorridents into one of the most awarded and internationally recognized healthcare franchises.
Together, they expanded the business by creating Sorriden, a dental plan focused on prevention, and DocBiz, a management consultancy for clinics. Taking their dreams further, they founded Olhar Certo, a chain of ophthalmological clinics, and acquired shares in GiOlaser, specialized in laser hair removal and aesthetic treatments.
Through the holding company Salus Participações, they share their success and make the dreams of entrepreneurs and franchisees across Brazil come true and have served more than 8 million customers, changing the way they see and practice dentistry in the country.
9 Daniela and Juliana Binatti
Juliana Binatti, initially interested in nutrition, changed her focus to technology after being influenced by her older sister Daniela, who was passionate about computer programming. Both sisters pursued studies in technology at university and began their professional careers in the field.
After 15 years in IT, Daniela founded Pismo, with Juliana joining her as co-founder. Juliana now serves as the Chief Product Officer (CPO) while Daniela is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), allowing them to leverage their strengths and support each other as the business expands.
8 Esther Schattan
Esther Schattan, founding partner and director at Ornare, was instrumental in establishing the brand as a leader in high-end bespoke furniture for over 36 years. Alongside her husband Murillo Schattan, CEO of Ornare, Esther has achieved significant success through their innovative business model. With a background in engineering, Esther is known for her commitment to quality, sophistication and innovation, which has facilitated Ornare’s international expansion.
Esther Schattan is an inspirational leader who drives employee and partner engagement, positioning Ornare as a highly respected brand in the furniture industry.
Esther’s career highlights include initiatives in sustainability, marketing and public relations, and she actively advocates for female empowerment in corporate leadership. She also participates in programs such as Mulheres Vencedoras Brasil as a coach for aspiring entrepreneurs selected by Ernst Young.
7 Ivete Sangalo
Ivete Maria Dias de Sangalo Cady, 51 years old, better known as Ivete Sangalo is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, businesswoman, presenter, actress and artistic director. She also achieved success as the lead singer of Banda Eva, selling more than 5 million records and performing around thirty shows per month.
Throughout her career, she sold around 20 million copies, becoming one of the biggest record-selling artists in Brazil, in addition to having the two biggest female solo tours in the country, Tour Madison being the biggest of them, with more of R$70 million in revenue.
One of the most important and influential figures in Brazilian music, with her success consolidated in the history of national culture, she is known by the name “Queen of Brazil” for her impact and influence on the country’s culture.
6 Janaína Torres
Janaína Torres, born and raised in São Paulo, is deeply passionate about her city. She began her entrepreneurial journey in 2008 with Bar da Dona Onça, located near the iconic Copan Building, contributing to the revitalization of the central area of São Paulo. Managing several other businesses, including Hot Pork, Sorveteria do Centro and A Casa do Porco, she made significant contributions to the city’s culinary scene.
Janaína’s commitment to social impact is evident through her participation in initiatives such as “Cooks for Education”, benefiting more than 2 million students by promoting healthy school lunches. His advocacy for the hospitality industry during the pandemic earned him the American Express Icon Award, recognizing his efforts to bring positive change to his community through food.
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5 Luciana Batista
She is the president of Coca-Cola in Brazil and the Southern Cone. Luciana has more than 20 years of experience in multinationals and supporting private equity funds in retail and consumer goods operations in South America, the United States and Europe.
In recent years, she has led ESG globally at Bain, as well as consumer and digital strategy in South America. She has also led studies on gender parity, sustainability and social impact.
4 Silvia Braz
Silvia Bussade Braz, originally from Campos, Rio de Janeiro, moved to Muriaé, Minas Gerais, after getting married. Despite having a law degree, she became a housewife and started a fashion blog called Blog da Maria Sofia, inspired by her daughter Maria Vitória. Silvia has since become a prominent influencer in the fashion industry, especially luxury brands.
At 43 years old, she is recognized for her authenticity, strength and determination, attracting a wide female audience. Silvia Braz’s impact on fashion weeks has earned her recognition as one of the world’s top influencers by Launchmetrics, a data research company.
3 Tania Bulhões
The Tania Bulhões brand is part of the history of luxury in Brazil and has established itself in the porcelain and homeware segment.
Minas Gerais businesswoman Tania Bulhões says she has always lived between the countryside and the city, without ever hiding her preference for nature: “It’s my biggest source of inspiration”, she explains. That’s why the successful home and perfumery brand that bears her name is full of references, images and smells of lush native flora and fauna. “I love gardens and orchards”, informs the businesswoman.
2 Thais Vieira
Thais Vieira is the first woman to take over the Board of Directors of ESALQ. She is a professor in the Agroindustry, Food and Nutrition department and has chaired the Esalq Undergraduate Committee since 2019.
Thais Vieira has a degree in Agricultural Engineering from Esalq, with a doctorate in Food Technology from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp). She was a visiting researcher at the University of California at Davis (2018-2019) and a researcher at Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos (2003-2005).
Professor at the Department of Agroindustry, Food and Nutrition, teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in product and process development. It also develops research aimed at optimizing processes to obtain ingredients and new products from co-products and agro-industrial waste, using environmentally friendly technologies, in accordance with SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production.
1 Thamila Zahr
And last on Forbes’ list of successful women is Thamila Zahr, she is Executive Director of the SEB Education Group and President of Maple Bear Global. Thamila Zahr is a key figure in transforming education, promoting innovative methodologies and quality teaching accessible to more people.
