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GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA Merkel has topped Forbes’s list of the world’s most powerful women for the third consecutive year, followed by Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff.
They were followed by Melinda Gates – who co-chairs the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with her billionaire philanthropist husband – US First Lady Michelle Obama and former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
The annual list includes influential women in global politics, business, media, entertainment, technology and non-profits — ranking them by “money, media presence and impact,” according to the business magazine.
“The rise of personal brands and entrepreneurial endeavors among this year’s Power Women are exciting trends as we mark our 10th year of publishing the list,” said Moira Forbes, president and publisher of ForbesWoman.
“From Singapore to Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom to the United States — and beyond — the 100 influential women on our list are making an indelible and lasting impact on the world we live in,” she said in a statement.
Forbes has named Merkel the most powerful woman eight out of the 10 years the list has existed.
High-ranking businesswomen on the list include Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman (No. 15) — subject of the Forbes cover story — as well as Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (No. 6) and Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer (No. 32).
The 24 CEOs on the list lead firms with a combined $893 billion (almost €700 billion) in 2012 revenues, while the eight heads of state run countries with a combined GDP of $9.9 trillion (€7.6 trillion) the magazine said.
In another measure of influence, the 100 women on the 2013 list have a combined Twitter following of over 153 million, Forbes said.
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Congrats Merkel, ya big ride !
Cant believe Miriam O’Callaghan didnt make it!
59 of them are from the US. Something not right there. What’s the criteria? And why do we need to know their marital status?
I agree. Forbes compiled the list so take from that what you will. Personally I find these things mind numbing and insulting to people’s intelligence.
‘This lady here is influential!’ Oh… Thanks Forbes. If she was so influential we should we not have noticed?
I think these things do women’s rights less good than anything as it is them saying, ‘here is an influential woman and here is how she acts’
Have a nice day guys!
I’d agree that these sort of things are ridiculous but given the criteria of money, media presence, and “impact”, is it really that hard to believe that a lot of them would be from the US? Sensing some indignation…
Our Irish entry “Angela Murphy”.
Gareth Kavanagh – you must be so proud of yourself. Idiot.
Gareth, I’m proud of you!
I’m surprised that Oprah is not on that list.
She is.
Thanks, Helen! Missed that
Michelle Obama, who wouldnt give her a shot ;)
Anyone Irish on the list?
Samantha Mumba came eighth.
She’s not really Irish though to be honest.
My condolences to Europe. may they find some peace now RIP
I wonder when we will see the List of most powerful men ?
Never. Such a list would be derided by die-hard feminists for being chauvinistic…
Catherine lynch!
have your say