( CNN ) -- As the CEO of Guardian Life Insurance , Deanna Mulligan has joined a small but powerful group of female business executives on the Fortune 500 list . She talks to `` Leading Women '' about life at the helm of the 150-year-old insurance giant and how opportunities for female professionals are growing day by day . With women only holding 4.2 % of Fortune 500 CEO positions , CNN takes a look at the pearls of wisdom shared by some of the world 's leading businesswomen on getting to the top -- and staying there . Lauren Said-Moorhouse contributed to this report .
This week on Leading Women , we talk to Deanna Mulligan , CEO of insurance giant Guardian Life Insurance Company of America . At the helm of a Fortune 500 company , she tells CNN about her successes . Deanna, welcome back to Leading Women.