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Forbes list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women

Ranking published by Forbes magazine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Forbes list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women
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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 2024, the gauge was "money, media, impact and spheres of influence".[3] The top 10 per year are listed below.

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Logo of Forbes magazine
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Angela Merkel has been ranked the most powerful woman 14 times.[1][2]
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Top 10 most powerful women of 2024

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Giorgia Meloni
  1. GermanyEuropean Union Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  2. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  3. ItalyEuropean Union Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy
  4. Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico
  5. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  6. United States Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments
  7. United States Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture
  8. United States Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation
  9. United States MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist
  10. United KingdomUnited States Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup[4]
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2023

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Kamala Harris
  1. GermanyEuropean Union Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  2. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  3. United States Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
  4. ItalyEuropean Union Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy
  5. United States Taylor Swift, musician and singer-songwriter
  6. United States Karen Lynch, CEO of CVS Health
  7. United KingdomUnited States Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup
  8. United States Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  9. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  10. United States Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation[5]
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2022

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

2021

  1. United States MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist
  2. United States Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
  3. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  4. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  5. United States Melinda French Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  6. United States Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  7. SpainEuropean Union Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  8. GermanyEuropean Union Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  9. Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan
  10. United States Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture
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2020

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Christine Lagarde
  1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
  2. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
  3. United States Kamala Harris, Vice President-elect of the United States
  4. GermanyEuropean Union Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  5. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  6. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  7. United States Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
  8. SpainEuropean Union Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  9. United States Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  10. United States Gail Koziara Boudreaux, CEO of Anthem[7]
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    2019

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    Nancy Pelosi
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
    3. United States Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
    4. GermanyEuropean Union Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
    5. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
    6. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    7. United States Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
    8. SpainEuropean Union Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
    9. United States Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM
    10. United States Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin[8]
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    2018

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    Theresa May
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. United KingdomEuropean Union Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
    3. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
    4. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
    5. United States Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
    6. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    7. United States Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
    8. SpainEuropean Union Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
    9. United States Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin
    10. United States Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM[9]
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    2017

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    Melinda Gates
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. United KingdomEuropean Union Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
    3. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    4. United States Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
    5. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
    6. United States Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
    7. United States Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
    8. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
    9. SpainEuropean Union Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
    10. United States Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM[10]
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    2016

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    Hillary Clinton
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. United States Hillary Clinton, United States presidential candidate
    3. United States Janet Yellen, Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
    4. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    5. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
    6. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
    7. United States Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
    8. United States Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
    9. United States Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
    10. SpainEuropean Union Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander[11]

    2015

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    Janet Yellen
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. United States Hillary Clinton, United States presidential candidate
    3. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    4. United States Janet Yellen, Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
    5. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
    6. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
    7. Brazil Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
    8. United States Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
    9. United States Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
    10. United States Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States[12]
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    2014

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    Dilma Rousseff
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. United States Janet Yellen, Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
    3. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    4. Brazil Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
    5. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
    6. United States Hillary Clinton, former United States Secretary of State
    7. United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
    8. United States Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
    9. United States Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
    10. United States Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM[13]
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    2013

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    Michelle Obama
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. Brazil Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
    3. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    4. United States Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
    5. United States Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
    6. United States Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
    7. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
    8. United States Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security
    9. India Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
    10. United States Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo[14]

    2012

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    Jill Abramson
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. United States Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
    3. Brazil Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
    4. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    5. United States Jill Abramson, Executive Editor of The New York Times
    6. India Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
    7. United States Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
    8. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
    9. United States Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security
    10. United States Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook[15][16]

    2011

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    Indra Nooyi
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[2]
    2. United States Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
    3. Brazil Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
    4. United States Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
    5. United States Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
    6. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    7. India Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
    8. United States Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
    9. FranceEuropean Union Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
    10. United States Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International[17][18]

    2010

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    Irene Rosenfeld
    1. United States Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
    2. United States Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
    3. United States Oprah Winfrey, talk show host on The Oprah Winfrey Show
    4. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
    5. United States Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
    6. United States Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
    7. United States Lady Gaga, singer, actress and record producer
    8. Australia Gail Kelly, CEO of Westpac
    9. United States Beyoncé Knowles, singer, actress and record producer
    10. United States Ellen DeGeneres, talk show host on The Ellen DeGeneres Show[19]

    2009

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    Sheila Bair
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[1]
    2. United States Sheila Bair, Chair of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
    3. United States Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
    4. United States Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American plc
    5. Singapore Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings
    6. United States Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
    7. United States Ellen Kullman, CEO of DuPont
    8. United States Angela Braly, President-CEO of Anthem
    9. FranceEuropean Union Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva
    10. United States Lynn Elsenhans, Chairwoman, CEO and President of Sunoco[20]

    2008

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    Cynthia Carroll
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[1]
    2. United States Sheila Bair, Chair of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
    3. United States Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
    4. United States Angela Braly, President-CEO of Anthem
    5. United States Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American plc
    6. United States Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
    7. United States Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State
    8. Singapore Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings
    9. FranceEuropean Union Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva
    10. United States Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO of Xerox[21]

    2007

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    Wu Yi
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[1]
    2. China Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
    3. Singapore Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings
    4. United States Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State
    5. United States Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
    6. India Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
    7. United States Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American plc
    8. United States Patricia Woertz, President-CEO of ADM
    9. United States Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
    10. United States Patricia Russo, CEO of Alcatel-Lucent[22]

    2006

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    Condoleezza Rice
    1. GermanyEuropean Union Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany[1]
    2. United States Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State
    3. China Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
    4. United States Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
    5. United States Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO of Xerox
    6. United States Sallie Krawcheck, CFO of Citigroup
    7. United States Patricia Woertz, President-CEO of ADM
    8. FranceEuropean Union Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva
    9. United States Brenda Barnes, President-CEO of Sara Lee
    10. United States Zoe Cruz, Co-President of Morgan Stanley[23]

    2005

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    Yulia Tymoshenko
    1. United States Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State
    2. China Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
    3. Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine
    4. Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines
    5. United States Meg Whitman, President-CEO of eBay
    6. United States Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO of Xerox
    7. United States Sallie Krawcheck, CFO of Citigroup
    8. United States Brenda Barnes, President-CEO of Sara Lee
    9. United States Oprah Winfrey, talk show host on The Oprah Winfrey Show
    10. United States Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation[24]

    2004

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    Sonia Gandhi
    1. United States Condoleezza Rice, United States National Security Advisor
    2. China Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
    3. India Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress
    4. United States Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States
    5. United States Hillary Clinton, United States Senator
    6. United States Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
    7. United States Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
    8. Indonesia Megawati Sukarnoputri, President of Indonesia
    9. Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines
    10. United States Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett-Packard[25]

    See also

    References

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