Bangalore: After what some would call a "lost year for tech," which also saw once-great American retailers fall from grace, we're thinking of 2014 as a glass-half-full kind of year.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has promised big reveals, including the launch of the iWatch. Google's Larry Page will likely continue to explore the "Internet of Things," scooping up start-ups along the way. And there's really no telling what's up Elon Musk's sleeve.

The Other companies will need saving, such as Eddie Lampert's Sears, which shuttered hundreds of stores and had net losses as high as $1.4 billion last year.

So here are the lists of CEOs who are leading companies on the brink of greatness, or extinction, and preferably the ones to watch this year, as reported by Melissa Stanger,Melia Robinson of Business Insider.

Mary Barra

In December Mary Barra was named replacement for Dan Akersons at the Detroit-based auto company General Motors. The 33-year old hand of GM will be the company’s first female CEO, and this will be a huge leap forward in an industry historically dominated by men.

Barra already has major influence over the design, engineering, and quality of GMs vehicles, and has made noticeable improvements in both the internal structure of the company as well as its sales growth. So with this kind of track record for success, she’s likely to continue taking the company in the right direction.
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