Only the fifth woman to have been appointed head of a FTSE 100 company when she took over the reins at Imperial Tobacco in 2010, Alison Cooper was already an established Imperial staffer, having held the position of COO for 11 years prior to becoming CEO. Often described as a larger-than-life character, Cooper is a strong communicator and favours a collaborative style in her business dealings, working dilligently to create as much value as possible for Imperial’s shareholders. The light-hearted CEO, who enjoys cigars and the occasional pint of Guinness, recently achieved a strong sales momentum in emerging markets.