Israel's Bank Leumi CEO lands spot on 'Fortune' list of most power women

Rakefet Russak-Aminoach ranks in at spot 23 on American business magazine's annual listing for the Europe, Mideast and Africa region.

Bank Leumi CEO and President Rakefet Russak-Aminoach (photo credit: REUTERS)
Bank Leumi CEO and President Rakefet Russak-Aminoach
(photo credit: REUTERS)
American business magazine Fortune has listed the CEO and president of Israel's Leumi Group, Rakefet Russak-Aminoach, on its annual ranking of most powerful women in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The Israeli banker placed in spot 23 on the list of 25, which includes major company heads, six newcomers and nine who work in the finance sector.
Russak-Aminoach assumed her position at Israel's second-largest lender in 2012, taking over from Galia Maor after 17 years in the post.
Fortune denoted Russak-Aminoach, 49, as a "newcomer" to the rankings that place the spotlight on what the magazine considers the world's more powerful women.
"Russak-Aminoach took over [Bank Leumi's] top job in 2012 and endured a rough first few years, marked by sinking profits and a US tax evasion investigation. But 2015 is looking up. In the first half of the year, Bank Leumi raked in profits of $451 million, up 107% since the same period last year," read the commentary that accompanied the bank executive's profile on the Fortune list.
The list was headed by Spain's Banco Santander Executive Chairperson Ana Botín.