Mariana Gheorghe, 54, has been at the helm of the largest company in Romania for almost four years. Appointed Petrom CEO, Gheorghe has joined the exclusive club of "women" executives in sectors considered more suitable to male management styles. Mariana Gheorghe proved to be a tough CEO, especially under crisis conditions, when "Petrom" took a series of "unpopular" measures, which, however, contributed to boosting its profit by 34% and to attracting 1.6 billion euros in funding, more than the European funds attracted by Romania in the three years since joining the EU. "Globally, I think 2010 will be easier. For Romania it will be more difficult for several reasons. On the one hand there is a gap to bridge between us and developed countries. On the other hand, there is another domestic factor, which makes it harder for us. In order to have a chance to grow in 2010, we need the institutional force to make unpopular decisions. This entails a lot of political courage. This is what I wish to all those who lead us," Gheorghe says.
Mariana Gheorghe, 54, has been at the helm of the largest company in Romania for almost four years. Appointed Petrom CEO, Gheorghe has joined the exclusive club of "women" executives in sectors considered more suitable to male management styles. Mariana Gheorghe proved to be a tough CEO, especially under crisis conditions, when "Petrom" took a series of "unpopular" measures, which, however, contributed to boosting its profit by 34% and to attracting 1.6 billion euros in funding, more than the European funds attracted by Romania in the three years since joining the EU. "Globally, I think 2010 will be easier. For Romania it will be more difficult for several reasons. On the one hand there is a gap to bridge between us and developed countries. On the other hand, there is another domestic factor, which makes it harder for us. In order to ha
