Forbes list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women

Since 2004, Forbes, an American business magazine, has published an annual list of its ranking of the 100 most powerful women in the world. Edited by prominent Forbes journalists, including Moira Forbes, the list is compiled using various criteria such as visibility and economic impact. In 2023, the gauge was "money, media, impact and spheres of influence".[3] The top 10 per year are listed below.

Logo of Forbes magazine
Angela Merkel has been ranked the most powerful woman 14 times.[1][2]

2023 edit

 
Giorgia Meloni
  1.   Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  2.   Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  3.   Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
  4.   Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy
  5.   Taylor Swift, singer-songwriter
  6.   Karen Lynch, CEO of CVS Health
  7.   Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup
  8.   Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  9.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  10.   Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation[3]

2022 edit

 
Ursula von der Leyen
  1.   Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  2.   Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  3.   Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
  4.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  5.   Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  6.   Melinda French Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  7.   Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy
  8.   Karen Lynch, CEO of CVS Health
  9.   Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture
  10.   Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup[4]

2021 edit

 
Kamala Harris
  1.   MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist
  2.   Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
  3.   Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  4.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  5.   Melinda French Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  6.   Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  7.   Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  8.   Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  9.   Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan
  10.   Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture

2020 edit

 
Christine Lagarde
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  3.   Kamala Harris, Vice President-elect of the United States
  4.   Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  5.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  6.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  7.   Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
  8.   Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  9.   Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  10.   Gail Koziara Boudreaux, CEO of Anthem[5]

2019 edit

 
Nancy Pelosi
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  3.   Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
  4.   Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  5.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  6.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  7.   Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  8.   Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  9.   Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM
  10.   Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin[6]

2018 edit

 
Theresa May
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  3.   Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  4.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  5.   Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  6.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  7.   Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
  8.   Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  9.   Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin
  10.   Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM[7]

2017 edit

 
Melinda Gates
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  3.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  4.   Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  5.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  6.   Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
  7.   Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  8.   Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  9.   Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  10.   Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM[8]

2016 edit

 
Hillary Clinton
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Hillary Clinton, United States presidential candidate
  3.   Janet Yellen, Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
  4.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  5.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  6.   Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  7.   Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  8.   Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
  9.   Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  10.   Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander[9]

2015 edit

 
Janet Yellen
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Hillary Clinton, United States presidential candidate
  3.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  4.   Janet Yellen, Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
  5.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  6.   Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  7.   Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  8.   Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  9.   Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
  10.   Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States[10]

2014 edit

 
Dilma Rousseff
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Janet Yellen, Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
  3.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  4.   Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  5.   Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  6.   Hillary Clinton, former United States Secretary of State
  7.   Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  8.   Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  9.   Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  10.   Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM[11]

2013 edit

 
Michelle Obama
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  3.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  4.   Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  5.   Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
  6.   Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  7.   Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  8.   Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security
  9.   Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
  10.   Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo[12]

2012 edit

 
Jill Abramson
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
  3.   Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  4.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  5.   Jill Abramson, Executive Editor of The New York Times
  6.   Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
  7.   Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  8.   Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  9.   Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security
  10.   Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook[13][14]

2011 edit

 
Indra Nooyi
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2.   Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
  3.   Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  4.   Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  5.   Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  6.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  7.   Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
  8.   Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  9.   Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  10.   Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International[15][16]

2010 edit

 
Irene Rosenfeld
  1.   Lady Gaga, singer, actress and record producer
  2.   Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
  3.   Oprah Winfrey, talk show host on The Oprah Winfrey Show
  4.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  5.   Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
  6.   Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  7.   Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  8.   Gail Kelly, CEO of Westpac
  9.   Beyoncé Knowles, singer, actress and record producer
  10.   Ellen DeGeneres, talk show host on The Ellen DeGeneres Show[17]

2009 edit

 
Sheila Bair
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[1]
  2.   Sheila Bair, Chair of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  3.   Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  4.   Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American plc
  5.   Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings
  6.   Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
  7.   Ellen Kullman, CEO of DuPont
  8.   Angela Braly, President-CEO of Anthem
  9.   Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva
  10.   Lynn Elsenhans, Chairwoman, CEO and President of Sunoco[18]

2008 edit

 
Cynthia Carroll
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[1]
  2.   Sheila Bair, Chair of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  3.   Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  4.   Angela Braly, President-CEO of Anthem
  5.   Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American plc
  6.   Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
  7.   Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State
  8.   Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings
  9.   Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva
  10.   Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO of Xerox[19]

2007 edit

 
Wu Yi
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[1]
  2.   Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
  3.   Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings
  4.   Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State
  5.   Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  6.   Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
  7.   Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American plc
  8.   Patricia Woertz, President-CEO of ADM
  9.   Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
  10.   Patricia Russo, CEO of Alcatel-Lucent[20]

2006 edit

 
Condoleezza Rice
  1.   Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[1]
  2.   Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State
  3.   Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
  4.   Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  5.   Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO of Xerox
  6.   Sallie Krawcheck, CFO of Citigroup
  7.   Patricia Woertz, President-CEO of ADM
  8.   Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva
  9.   Brenda Barnes, President-CEO of Sara Lee
  10.   Zoe Cruz, Co-President of Morgan Stanley[21]

2005 edit

 
Yulia Tymoshenko
  1.   Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State
  2.   Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
  3.   Yulia Tymoshenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine
  4.   Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines
  5.   Meg Whitman, President-CEO of eBay
  6.   Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO of Xerox
  7.   Sallie Krawcheck, CFO of Citigroup
  8.   Brenda Barnes, President-CEO of Sara Lee
  9.   Oprah Winfrey, talk show host on The Oprah Winfrey Show
  10.   Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation[22]

2004 edit

 
Sonia Gandhi
  1.   Condoleezza Rice, United States National Security Advisor
  2.   Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
  3.   Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
  4.   Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States
  5.   Hillary Clinton, United States Senator
  6.   Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
  7.   Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
  8.   Megawati Sukarnoputri, President of Indonesia
  9.   Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines
  10.   Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett-Packard[23]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Donner, Francesca. "The World's Most Powerful Women". Forbes. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Kamala Harris, Jacinda Ardern and Stacey Abrams make Forbes list of 2020's most powerful women - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b "The World's Most Powerful Women 2023". Forbes. December 5, 2023. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  4. ^ "World's Most Powerful Women 2022". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  5. ^ "World's Most Powerful Women 2020". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 30, 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  6. ^ "World's Most Powerful Women". Forbes. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  7. ^ "The World's Most Powerful Women 2018". Forbes. December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  8. ^ Howard, Caroline (November 2, 2017). "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women In 2017". Forbes. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  9. ^ "The World's Most Powerful Women 2016". Forbes. June 7, 2016. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  10. ^ Howard, Caroline (May 26, 2015). "The World's Most Powerful Women 2015". Forbes. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  11. ^ Howard, Caroline (May 28, 2014). "The World's Most Powerful Women 2014". Forbes. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  12. ^ Howard, Caroline (May 22, 2013). "The 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  13. ^ Howard, Caroline (August 22, 2012). "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women 2012". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  14. ^ "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. January 6, 2013. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  15. ^ Howard, Caroline (August 24, 2011). "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women: This Year It's All About Reach". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  16. ^ "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. December 29, 2011. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  17. ^ "The 100 Most Powerful Women 2010". Forbes. October 5, 2010. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  18. ^ Donner, Francesca (August 19, 2009). "The 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 27, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  19. ^ Egan, Mary Ellen; Schoenberger, Chana R. (August 27, 2008). "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  20. ^ "The 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. August 30, 2007. Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  21. ^ "The 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. August 31, 2006. Archived from the original on December 23, 2006. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  22. ^ "The Most Powerful Women". Forbes. December 16, 2005. Archived from the original on December 16, 2005. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  23. ^ MacDonald, Elizabeth; Schoenberger, Chana R. (August 20, 2004). "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 31, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2023.

External links edit