Forbes list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women


Since 2004, Forbes has compiled a list of the 100 most powerful women in the world. It is edited by notable Forbes journalists, including Moira Forbes, and is based on visibility and economic impact. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has remained at the top spot since 2006, with the brief exception of 2010 where she was temporarily supplanted by then U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama.

2019 (top 10 selection)

  1. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  2. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, and President of the European Central Bank
  3. Nancy Pelosi, 52nd Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
  4. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
  5. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  6. Melinda Gates, Co-founder 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

    2018 (top 10 selection)

  11. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  12. Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  13. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  14. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  15. Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  16. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  17. Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
  18. Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  19. Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin
  20. Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM

    2017 (top 10 selection)

  21. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  22. Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  23. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  24. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  25. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  26. Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
  27. Abigail Johnson, President-CEO of Fidelity Investments
  28. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  29. Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander
  30. Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM

    2016 (top 10 selection)

  31. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  32. Hillary Clinton, Presidential candidate of the United States
  33. Janet Yellen, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States
  34. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  35. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  36. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  37. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  38. Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
  39. Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  40. Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander

    2015 (top 10 selection)

  41. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  42. Hillary Clinton, Presidential candidate of the United States
  43. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  44. Janet Yellen, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States
  45. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  46. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
  47. Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  48. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  49. Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
  50. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States

    2014 (top 10 selection)

  51. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  52. Janet Yellen, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States
  53. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  54. Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  55. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  56. Hillary Clinton, Former United States Secretary of State
  57. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
  58. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  59. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  60. Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM

    2013 (top 10 selection)

  61. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  62. Dilma Rousseff, 36th President of Brazil.
  63. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  64. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  65. Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
  66. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  67. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  68. Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security
  69. Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress party
  70. Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo

    2012 (top 10 selection)

  71. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  72. Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
  73. Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  74. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  75. Jill Abramson, Executive Editor of The New York Times
  76. Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress party
  77. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  78. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  79. Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security
  80. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

    2011 (top 10 selection)

  81. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  82. Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
  83. Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil
  84. Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo
  85. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
  86. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  87. Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress party
  88. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  89. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  90. Irene Rosenfeld, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Mondelēz International

    2010 (top 10 selection)

  91. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
  92. Irene Rosenfeld, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Mondelēz International
  93. Oprah Winfrey
  94. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
  95. Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State
  96. Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo
  97. Lady Gaga
  98. Gail Kelly
  99. Beyoncé Knowles
  100. Ellen DeGeneres

    2009 (top 10 selection)

  101. Angela Merkel
  102. Sheila Bair
  103. Indra Nooyi
  104. Cynthia Carroll
  105. Ho Ching
  106. Irene Rosenfeld
  107. Ellen Kullman
  108. Angela Braly
  109. Anne Lauvergeon
  110. Lynn Elsenhans

    2008 (top 10 selection)

  111. Angela Merkel
  112. Sheila Bair
  113. Indra Nooyi
  114. Angela Braly
  115. Cynthia Carroll
  116. Irene Rosenfeld
  117. Condoleezza Rice
  118. Ho Ching
  119. Anne Lauvergeon
  120. Anne Mulcahy

    2007 (top 10 selection)

  121. Angela Merkel
  122. Wu Yi
  123. Ho Ching
  124. Condoleezza Rice
  125. Indra Nooyi
  126. Sonia Gandhi
  127. Cynthia Carroll
  128. Patricia Woertz
  129. Irene Rosenfeld
  130. Patricia Russo

    2006 (top 10 selection)

  131. Angela Merkel
  132. Condoleezza Rice
  133. Wu Yi
  134. Indra Nooyi
  135. Anne Mulcahy
  136. Sallie Krawcheck
  137. Patricia Woertz
  138. Anne Lauvergeon
  139. Brenda Barnes
  140. Zoe Cruz

    2005 (top 10 selection)

  141. Condoleezza Rice
  142. Wu Yi
  143. Yulia Tymoshenko
  144. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
  145. Margaret Whitman
  146. Anne Mulcahy
  147. Sallie Krawcheck
  148. Brenda Barnes
  149. Oprah Winfrey
  150. Melinda Gates

    2004 (top 10 selection)

  151. Condoleezza Rice
  152. Wu Yi
  153. Sonia Gandhi
  154. Laura Bush
  155. Hillary Clinton
  156. Sandra Day O'Connor
  157. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  158. Megawati Sukarnoputri
  159. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
  160. Carly Fiorina