 Bresch's appointment as Chief Executive Officer was announced in 2001 and she officially took the position in January 2012. Bresch was the first female CEO of a large pharmaceutical business. At the time, she was one of 18 female CEOs of a Fortune 500 company. She was ranked 31 in Fortune Magazine's 2014 "50 Most Powerful Women" list Bresch initially did not think her role as a female executive was significant. After seeing how few female candidates were available for positions that require a background in science and math, she became more interested in promoting math and science education among young girls.
