16th most powerful woman - Jamaican lands high ranking in Fortune Magazine
Published:Monday | November 19, 2018 | 12:00 AMJodi-Ann Gilpin/Gleaner Writer
The most recent ranking by Fortune Magazine has shown that Ann-Marie Campbell is the 16th most powerful woman in the world for 2018.
Campbell is the executive vice-president at the Home Depot Stores. This means she is in charge of approximately 2,000 stores in the United States, and she credits this success to her Jamaican heritage.
"I think it starts with foundational aspects of my life. I went to a great school in Jamaica (Holy Childhood High School) and I also boarded. So I think that structural discipline was very helpful as you think about the formative years of my life," she said.
Other persons who made the list included media mogul and billionaire Oprah Winfrey; Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook; and Marillyn Hewson, president and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin.
Campbell was quick to point out, however, that her journey has not been a walk in the park. Issues such as her gender and being an immigrant were hurdles she had to overcome, and that she did with resilience and determination.
"Your career is like a road - you're going to have speed bumps, you're going to have potholes, and I certainly had many of those throughout my career. The industry that I have been successful in is a very male-dominated industry and, therefore, a lot of things were questioned earlier in my career," the senior executive noted.
"People questioned my capabilities and abilities. There were a lot of people who supported, but when you are in a male-dominated environment, there are a lot of things that people think you can't do because you're a woman. I'm an immigrant as well, so things like accent used to be an issue," she continued.
I am a believer in living your passion - Campbell
Ann-Marie Campbell, Fortune Magazine's 16th most powerful woman in the world for 2018; believes that it was a passion for what she does and constant investment in self that have sustained her throughout the 33 years she has worked at Home Depot Stores.
"I have always felt that knowledge is power. The ability to have a discussion based on facts and knowledge about a subject, really elevated myself in the line of fire sometimes. I always wanted to know what I was talking about and I invested the time to understand the subject matter and the people around the table," she said.
"I am certainly a believer in living your passion. I have found my passion. I absolutely enjoy retail. I love the retail business. I love being able to be a part of connecting customers and associates and figuring out how we grow the business and all that. It's still my passion today," Campbell said.