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 2025, the gauge was "where do women hold real power". The top 10 per year are listed below.

2025

  1. , President of the European Commission
  2. , President of the European Central Bank
  3. Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan
  4. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy
  5. , President of Mexico
  6. , CEO of Accenture
  7. , CEO of General Motors
  8. , CEO of Citigroup
  9. , CEO of Fidelity Investments
  10. , CEO of AMD

2024

  1. , President of the European Commission
  2. , President of the European Central Bank
  3. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy
  4. , President of Mexico
  5. , CEO of General Motors
  6. , CEO of Fidelity Investments
  7. , CEO of Accenture
  8. , co-chair of the Gates Foundation
  9. , philanthropist
  10. , CEO of Citigroup

2023

  1. , President of the European Commission
  2. , President of the European Central Bank
  3. , Vice President of the United States
  4. , Prime Minister of Italy
  5. , singer-songwriter
  6. , CEO of CVS Health
  7. , CEO of Citigroup
  8. , President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  9. , CEO of General Motors
  10. , co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

2022

  1. , President of the European Commission
  2. , President of the European Central Bank
  3. , Vice President of the United States
  4. , CEO of General Motors
  5. , President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  6. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  7. , Prime Minister of Italy
  8. , CEO of CVS Health
  9. , CEO of Accenture
  10. , CEO of Citigroup

2021

  1. , philanthropist
  2. , Vice President of the United States
  3. , President of the European Central Bank
  4. , CEO of General Motors
  5. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  6. , President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  7. , Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  8. , President of the European Commission
  9. , President of Taiwan
  10. , CEO of Accenture

2020

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , President of the European Central Bank
  3. , Vice President-elect of the United States
  4. , President of the European Commission
  5. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  6. , CEO of General Motors
  7. , Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
  8. , Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  9. , President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  10. , CEO of Anthem

2019

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , President of the European Central Bank
  3. , Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
  4. , President of the European Commission
  5. , CEO of General Motors
  6. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  7. , President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  8. , Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  9. , CEO of IBM
  10. , CEO of Lockheed Martin

2018

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  3. , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  4. , CEO of General Motors
  5. , President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  6. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  7. , CEO of YouTube
  8. , Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  9. , CEO of Lockheed Martin
  10. , CEO of IBM

2017

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  3. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  4. , COO of Facebook
  5. , CEO of General Motors
  6. , CEO of YouTube
  7. , President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  8. , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  9. , Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  10. , CEO of IBM

2016

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , United States presidential candidate
  3. , Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
  4. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  5. , CEO of General Motors
  6. , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  7. , COO of Facebook
  8. , CEO of YouTube
  9. , CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  10. , Executive Chairman of Banco Santander

2015

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , United States presidential candidate
  3. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  4. , Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
  5. , CEO of General Motors
  6. , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  7. , President of Brazil
  8. , COO of Facebook
  9. , CEO of YouTube
  10. , First Lady of the United States

2014

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve
  3. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  4. , President of Brazil
  5. , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  6. , former United States Secretary of State
  7. , CEO of General Motors
  8. , First Lady of the United States
  9. , COO of Facebook
  10. , CEO of IBM

2013

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , President of Brazil
  3. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  4. , First Lady of the United States
  5. , United States Secretary of State
  6. , COO of Facebook
  7. , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  8. , United States Secretary of Homeland Security
  9. , President of the Indian National Congress
  10. , Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo

2012

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , United States Secretary of State
  3. , President of Brazil
  4. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  5. , Executive Editor of The New York Times
  6. , President of the Indian National Congress
  7. , First Lady of the United States
  8. , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  9. , United States Secretary of Homeland Security
  10. , COO of Facebook

2011

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , United States Secretary of State
  3. , President of Brazil
  4. , Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  5. , COO of Facebook
  6. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  7. , President of the Indian National Congress
  8. , First Lady of the United States
  9. , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  10. , Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International

2010

  1. , First Lady of the United States
  2. , Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
  3. , talk show host on The Oprah Winfrey Show
  4. , Chancellor of Germany
  5. , United States Secretary of State
  6. , Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  7. , singer-songwriter
  8. , CEO of Westpac
  9. Beyoncé, singer-songwriter
  10. , talk show host on ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show''

2009

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , Chair of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  3. , Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  4. , CEO of Anglo American plc
  5. , CEO of Temasek Holdings
  6. , Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
  7. , CEO of DuPont
  8. , President-CEO of Anthem
  9. , CEO of Areva
  10. , Chairwoman, CEO and President of Sunoco

2008

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , Chair of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  3. , Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  4. , President-CEO of Anthem
  5. , CEO of Anglo American plc
  6. , Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
  7. , United States Secretary of State
  8. , CEO of Temasek Holdings
  9. , CEO of Areva
  10. , Chairman and CEO of Xerox

2007

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
  3. , CEO of Temasek Holdings
  4. , United States Secretary of State
  5. , Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  6. , President of the Indian National Congress
  7. , CEO of Anglo American plc
  8. , President-CEO of ADM
  9. , Chairman and CEO of Mondelez International
  10. , CEO of Alcatel-Lucent

2006

  1. , Chancellor of Germany
  2. , United States Secretary of State
  3. , Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
  4. , Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  5. , Chairman and CEO of Xerox
  6. , CFO of Citigroup
  7. , President-CEO of ADM
  8. , CEO of Areva
  9. , President-CEO of Sara Lee
  10. , Co-President of Morgan Stanley

2005

  1. , United States Secretary of State
  2. , Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
  3. , Prime Minister of Ukraine
  4. , President of the Philippines
  5. , President-CEO of eBay
  6. , Chairman and CEO of Xerox
  7. , CFO of Citigroup
  8. , President-CEO of Sara Lee
  9. , talk show host on The Oprah Winfrey Show
  10. , Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

2004

  1. , United States National Security Advisor
  2. , Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
  3. , President of the Indian National Congress
  4. , First Lady of the United States
  5. , United States Senator
  6. , Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
  7. , Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
  8. , President of Indonesia
  9. , President of the Philippines
  10. , CEO of Hewlett-Packard