Here we take a brief look at some of the most powerful women in banking today and the various ways in which they have come to be seen as such.

Mary Callahan Erdoes, JPMorgan

Despite her relatively low-key public profile, Mary Callahan Erdoes ranks high in the business of asset management. The CEO of JPMorgan’s Asset Management division, Erdoes handles in excess of $2trn, and has time and time again posted impressive gains in spite of what remains a turbulent time for financial services.

Ruth Porat, Morgan Stanley

So often referred to as the most powerful woman on Wall Street, Morgan Stanley’s CFO and Executive VP has emerged from various financial crises unscathed. Porat has also been instrumental in reshaping the public perception of financial services post-crash, and has spoken often on the merits of stress-testing and transparency.

Karen Peetz, BNY Mellon

The firm’s president, as of January 2013, oversees BNY Mellon’s global client management, regional management, human resources and treasury services businesses, and lends a decisive hand in determining the company’s strategic growth and global innovation. It is Peetz’s proficiency in navigating crises that has cemented her position amongst the upper echelons of the industry.

Carrie Tolstedt, Wells Fargo

Carrie Tolstedt heads up America’s largest retail banking franchise and leads approximately 105,000 employees across 6,200 branches and 39 states. The Senior EVP first embarked upon her distinguished career at Wells Fargo in 1986, and has since then gone on to spearhead impressive gains in the retail banking space.

Irene Dorner, HSBC

The British-born President and CEO of HSBC USA has come up against some incredibly trying episodes since taking the reins late on in 2011. And although her first role at the firm was as an in-house lawyer, the executive has since journeyed up through the ranks and come to seen as a pillar of stability in an otherwise volatile industry.