The Rise Of Jill Barad
Mattel's fierce, flamboyant CEO is breaking stereotypes about corporate success
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It's nearly showtime for Jill E. Barad. Just in from Los Angeles, the chairman and chief executive of toy giant Mattel Inc. is fine-tuning her lines in the backseat of a limo as it maneuvers through Manhattan. In about an hour, she will be onstage in front of 1,200 people at the New York Hilton to receive an award from Girls Inc., formerly Girls Club of America.
At the luncheon, Barad, dressed in her signature high heels and tailored Chanel suit, listens intently as three other women accept their awards. Professional and businesslike, they receive polite applause from the crowd. But when Barad finally strides into the spotlight, the effect is electrifying.