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New York - German Chancellor Angela Merkel topped the Forbes
list of the world’s most powerful women, which is dominated by politicians,
businesswomen and leaders in media and entertainment.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who came close to
defeating President Obama when he sought the Democratic nomination in 2008, was
second, followed by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.
"Our list reflects the diverse and dynamic paths to
power for women today, whether leading a nation or setting the agenda on
critical issues of our time,’’ said Moira Forbes, president & publisher of
ForbesWoman, said in a statement.
Eight heads of state and 29 CEOs made Forbes' roster of the
100 most powerful women released on Wednesday. They have an average age of 54
and collectively control $30 trillion. Twenty two are single.
"Across their multiple spheres of influence, these
women have achieved power through connectivity, the ability to build a
community around the organisations they oversee, the countries they lead, the
causes they champion and their personal brands," Forbes added.
Merkel was cited as the head of the one real global economy
in Europe. Clinton was lauded for deftly dealing with Middle East revolutions
and WikiLeaks revelations in her second year on the job, while Rousseff made
history as the first woman to lead Latin America’s largest economic power.
Rounding out the top five were the CEO of PepsiCo US Indra
Nooyi, who oversees the $60bn food and beverage empire, and Facebook COO Sheryl
Sandberg, who was credited with preparing the booming social network’s IPO that
could bring in as much as $100bn.
Forbes said women on the list achieved power not only
through money and might, but, thanks to social media, through reach and
influence.
Lady Gaga and The New York Times' recently appointed executive editor, Jill Abramson, came in at No. 11 and 12.
Gaga was also the youngest member of the list at age 25,
while Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who ranked No. 49, was the oldest at 85.
US First Lady Michelle Obama, who last year held the top
spot, dropped to No. 8 in the current ranking.
The full list can be found at www.forbes.com/power-women
