Fortune 500 Europe reports 43 female CEOs lead major companies

The 2026 Fortune 500 Europe list reveals that women lead 8.6 percent of the companies, totaling 43 female CEOs. This represents a slight increase from 8.2 percent the previous year. In comparison, women lead 11 percent of Fortune 500 companies in the United States, while the global figure for female CEOs stands at approximately 4.8 percent.

Among the top European companies, Meg O’Neill of BP is the only female leader within the top ten, making BP the largest female-led company on the European list. Other notable female leaders include Catherine MacGregor of Engie, ranked 39th, and Karin Rådström of Daimler Truck. While female representation is growing slightly, data suggests that women remain significantly underrepresented in the highest tiers of the world's largest business giants.