Good morning,
A group of leaders making significant strides in their careers before turning 40 are being recognized for their talents.
Fortune’s 2022 40 Under 40 list spotlights influential individuals shaping the business world. And three leaders in particular are making their mark in finance and economics.
Meta CFO Susan Li, age 36
Susan Li is among a small group of CFOs helming the finance organization at Fortune 500 companies who haven’t yet reached their 40th birthday. Li just began her tenure as CFO on Nov. 1, replacing David Wehner, who took on a new role as Meta’s first chief strategy officer. Li was previously VP of finance at Meta, the parent company of Facebook, since 2008.
The Stanford grad is CFO during a pivotal time for the company. Repositioning the business around metaverse technology, along with managing the balance sheet, are on the agenda. Meta laid off 13% of its staff on Nov. 9, roughly 11,000 employees. CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the blame for expanding too rapidly, but Li will have to manage through an economic and advertising slowdown.
In October, Li participated in a panel session of CFOs that I moderated during Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit. “Traditionally, people have thought of CFOs as a steward,” and that includes “running a tight finance ship,” Li said during the event. But today, CFOs wear so many more hats, she noted. “The CFO is really a partner in steering the business direction and product vision for the company.”
Joelle Gamble, chief economist, U.S. Department of Labor, age 31
Discussing the latest labor force developments and workforce trends is part of Joelle Gamble’s job. She began her role as chief economist in May. “The scale of change that the government can make, even the smallest administrative action, has huge implications for businesses and workers,” she told Fortune. “I just never thought I would have that opportunity to help people on that scale.” Gamble is the second Black woman to serve as chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor. The Princeton grad is also a former special assistant to the president for economic policy in the Biden-Harris administration. Gamble believes it’s critical to have different perspectives and representation in fields like economics. Of economists employed by the federal government just 29% are women, and only 10% identify as a minority.
Anne-Victoire Auriault, partner, Goldman Sachs, Global Markets Division, age 34
For more than 10 years, Anne-Victoire Auriault has been at Goldman Sachs. And in 2019, she was appointed managing director. The following year, she became one of the youngest women in the company’s history to achieve the rank of partner. “I think it was important to see that it’s possible to make partner as a female trader, particularly one who is devoted to her family and emphasizes a healthy work-life balance to her team,” Auriault told Fortune. “I had a lot of women reach out to me after I was promoted, letting me know how it represented an inflection point for them.” In the coming years, Auriault says she’s looking forward to “continuing to scale my business and being a true partner to our clients,” adding, “initially my remit was focused on the U.S. Now, I’m managing the team globally.”
You can view the complete 40 Under 40 list here.
See you tomorrow.
Sheryl Estrada
sheryl.estrada@fortune.com
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