Which Fortune 500 CEOs Have MBAs?

What does it take to become a Fortune 500 CEO? These business leaders are often creative risk-takers with heaps of resilience, who use their management skills to guide their companies to the top.

It’s not just luck and natural talent that takes you to this coveted position. Pursuing an MBA can make the road to the c-suite quicker, which is exactly what these Fortune 500 CEOs did. 

How many Fortune 500 CEOs have MBAs then? Quite a few it would seem. Out of the Fortune 500’s top 30 firms, 13 are headed up by MBA alums, including household names like Apple, Microsoft, and JPMorgan Chase.

If you want to become a Fortune 500 CEO, you might want to consider going to a top-ranked US business school first. Only two of the 13 CEOs listed went to b-schools outside the US top 20.

Here’s 13 Fortune 500 CEOs with MBAs, and where they went to business school.*

13. Charles Scharf

Still image from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo_I6V-H8Xs

Company: Wells Fargo

Fortune Rank: 30

MBA: NYU Stern

Charles Scharf previously held posts as CEO of the Bank of New York Mellon and CEO of Visa, before being named CEO of financial services firm Wells Fargo in September 2019. He holds an Executive MBA from NYU Stern, which he completed in 1991.

12. Gail Boudreaux

Company: Anthem

Fortune Rank: 29

MBA: Columbia 

When Gail Boudreaux became CEO of Anthem in 2017, Anthem became the second-largest American company by revenue with a woman as CEO. She completed her MBA at Columbia Business School, and before being made CEO of health insurance provider Anthem in 2017 she held a CEO role at United Healthcare. 

11. Hugh Frater

Company: Fannie Mae

Fortune Rank: 24

MBA: Columbia

Hugh Frater also completed his MBA at Columbia Business School, graduating in 1985. During his time on the program, Frater was also part of the Real Estate Advisory Board—a fitting experience considering his current position at the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae).