Jennifer Piepszak stepped into a firmwide role at the largest bank in the U.S. during one of the fastest-evolving times for the industry in years. 

After more than three decades in various leadership positions across JPMorganChase’s divisions, Piepszak took on the chief operating officer role in January.  Now, she oversees various pillars of the $4 trillion-asset bank’s strategy, including the technology modernization agenda, corporate initiatives, efficiency streamlining and talent development.

The move has been “a lot of fun,” said Piepszak, who previously served as co-CEO of the commercial and investment bank and spent nearly 20 years in the investment banking business. 

(American Banker’s methodology requires that a woman be in her role for at least one year, so Piepszak is ranked based on her performance as co-CEO of the commercial and investment bank and not her current position as COO.)

Growing up, Marianne Lake always wanted to be a movie star. 

Well, the CEO of JPMorganChase’s Consumer & Community Banking efforts may not have made it to the silver screen—yet—but she is certainly a star in the banking world. The 56-year-old is often mentioned on a shortlist of contenders for the throne of legendary CEO Jamie Dimon. 

Perhaps not surprising, since Lake—solo in her current role since early 2024—has stewarded a critical division through volatile times. It’s a perch she rose to after more than a quarter century at the bank, with stints as CFO and CEO of Consumer Lending along the way.

Five years ago, Jane Fraser was at a gas station in Idaho with her husband when she received a surprise message asking her to call her boss. It was the Friday before Labor Day, and the couple was driving from their house in Wyoming to Montana for a weekend of fly fishing.

Fraser made the call and shortly thereafter, she and her husband turned around and drove five hours back to Wyoming to talk in person to Michael Corbat, the CEO of Citigroup and Fraser’s boss. The subject to be discussed: Corbat’s pending exit and Fraser’s next big assignment.

Fraser, of course, became Citi’s CEO, formally succeeding Corbat in 2021, about six months after he called her back from her trip and told her that he would be retiring. The promotion made her the first woman to run Citi and the first, and still only, woman sitting atop a Wall Street bank.