Bank Leumi head among world's most powerful female executives

Rakefet Russak-Aminoach, CEO and president of Israel's Leumi Group, has been ranked 43rd out of 50 non-American businesswomen in Fortune magazine's prestigious annual list of the world's most powerful female executives.

The 100 Most Powerful Women list contains two separate rankings, comprising 50 Americans and 50 women from 19 other countries.

Russak-Aminoach, 50, was named head of the Leumi Group in May 2012, replacing Galia Maor. She is the only Israeli executive to make Fortune's international list. In 2015, she ranked 23rd in the list of the most influential businesswomen in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Listing Russak-Aminoach's achievements, the magazine noted that Leumi reported $730 million in profits in 2015, a 73% increase from the previous year. She was also credited with streamlining the group's operations, and for her plan to launch Leumi's digital venture, "Pepper," by the end of 2016. Pepper aims to allow Bank Leumi clients to conduct banking activities exclusively through a mobile application.

Ana Botin, executive chairman of Spain's Banco Santander, the Eurozone's largest bank, topped the international Most Powerful Women list, while Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, topped the American list.

Canada's Linamar Corporation CEO Linda Hasenfratz placed 50th on the international list, while Bank of America Vice Chairman Anne Finucane placed 50th on the American list.