Carly Fiorina is an American businesswoman and politician who served as CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005, becoming the first woman to lead a Fortune Top-20 company.
During her tenure, HP acquired Compaq, making it the world’s largest personal computer manufacturer. However, Fiorina was forced to resign in 2005 following a boardroom disagreement.
Fiorina ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in California in 2010 and for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
Since leaving HP, Fiorina has served on several boards and advised government agencies like the CIA and Department of Defense.
Children
Fiorina does not have any biological children of her own. She has two stepdaughters, Traci and Lori Ann, from her marriage to Frank Fiorina.
Fiorina has said that she wanted to have children with Frank but “that wasn’t God’s plan”.
Fiorina’s stepdaughter Lori Ann tragically passed away in 2009 at the age of 35 due to drug addiction.
Fiorina has spoken publicly about losing her daughter, saying “I lost a daughter to drug addiction” and “I have buried a child”.
While Fiorina does not have biological children, she has been a stepmother to Frank’s daughters and has written about falling in love with them when she married Frank in 1985.
Career
Fiorina had a remarkable career trajectory, rising from a secretary at a small real estate firm to becoming the first woman to lead a Fortune Top-20 company as CEO of Hewlett-Packard.
She began her career at AT&T in 1980 as a sales representative.
Fiorina quickly climbed the corporate ladder, becoming the first female officer at AT&T and leading its North American operations by age 40.
In 1996, she oversaw the $3 billion IPO of Lucent Technologies, which was spun off from AT&T.
Fiorina joined HP as CEO in 1999. During her tenure, she orchestrated HP’s acquisition of Compaq in 2002, making it the world’s largest personal computer manufacturer.
However, she was forced to resign in 2005 following a boardroom disagreement.
After leaving HP, Fiorina served on several boards and advised government agencies like the CIA and Department of Defense.
She ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in California in 2010 and for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
Awards and recognitions
Fiorina has received notable awards and recognitions throughout her career.
She was the first woman to lead a Fortune Top-20 company as CEO of Hewlett-Packard.
Fiorina was recognized for overseeing the largest technology sector merger in history in 2002, where HP acquired Compaq, making it the world’s largest personal computer manufacturer.
She has also been acknowledged for her philanthropic work, serving as Chair of Good360, a nonprofit organization that facilitates donations to charities.
Additionally, Fiorina’s leadership and problem-solving skills have been sought after by both government and private sectors, advising organizations like the Department of Defense, the CIA, and the State Department.
She has authored best-selling books on leadership and is a frequent speaker on leadership and team-building globally.
Salary and net worth
Fiorina has an estimated net worth of around $70 million.
During her time as CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005, she earned a total compensation of $100 million, including a $21 million severance package when she left the company.
The financial disclosures Fiorina submitted as part of her 2015 presidential campaign showed that she and her husband had a combined net worth of $59 million at that time.
The same report indicated she had an income of $13 million in 2013.
Other disclosures have listed a wider range of their combined net worth, ranging from as little as $30 million to as much as $120 million.
Fiorina spent a reported $6.5 million on her own 2016 presidential campaign.
Since leaving HP, she has served on the boards of several companies and advised government agencies like the CIA and Department of Defense.
Fiorina has also been involved in various nonprofit organizations, including serving as chair of Good360 from 2012 to 2015.