In the opening months of 2023, a wave of change swept through the corridors of power, reshaping the narrative of global leadership. The exodus of prominent women such as Sanna Marin, Jacinda Ardern, Nicola Sturgeon, Susan Wojcicki, and Martina Merz from key roles in politics and corporate spheres triggered discussions on the persistent gender disparities in leadership. As the saying goes, the higher they climbed, the harder they fell — all replaced by men, spotlighting the ongoing challenges women face in assuming and retaining powerful positions.
The absence of women in these crucial roles prompted reflections on the strides yet to be made. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s sobering words in March, echoing the sentiment that women aren’t guaranteed succession in leadership roles, underscored the persistent gender gap.
Yet, as the seasons turned and summer arrived, a counter-narrative began to unfold. The latter part of the year saw notable women ascending to influential positions, marking a turning point in the narrative of female power. In May, Robyn Grew broke new ground by becoming the first woman to lead the Man Group, a significant player in the hedge fund industry. June brought the appointment of U.S. Army veteran Debra Crew as the CEO of Diageo, a noteworthy achievement given the scarcity of female CEOs among the top 100 companies on the London Stock Exchange.
The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Tanzanian President Samia Hassan, and Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu have secured places on Forbes’ prestigious 100 Most Powerful Women list for 2023.
Forbes’ 20th annual ranking, released on Tuesday, positions Okonjo-Iweala at the 87th spot, underscoring her significant influence in the global economic landscape. South African businesswoman Mpumi Madisa closely follows at the 88th position. Tanzanian President Samia Hassan has made a notable debut on the list, securing the 93rd position, while Mo Abudu, the dynamic Nigerian media personality, and philanthropist, clinches the 98th spot.
Simultaneously, the entertainment industry and consumer market witnessed the triumphant influence of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and even the iconic Barbie. Their collective impact on consumer behavior was so profound that it caught the attention of Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell.
This influence has now earned Swift the impressive No. 5 spot on the 2023 list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Beyoncé made a remarkable leap to No. 36 from 80 in 2022, marking her growing impact on the global stage. Debra Crew debuts on the list at No. 79, and Robyn Grew follows closely at No. 83. In a surprising but meaningful twist, Barbie secures the No. 100 spot, traditionally reserved for figures not conforming to the conventional image of power but ones who have significantly shaped the year.
Forbes’ 2023 Power List, grounded in four primary metrics — money, media, impact, and spheres of influence — captures the essence of women shaping policies, products, and political arenas globally. This list reflects the immense influence and leadership prowess of women across diverse sectors, from entertainment to finance, breaking barriers and redefining societal expectations.
The challenges these influential women grapple with are as diverse as their backgrounds. The fights they champion encompass reproductive autonomy in America, girls’ access to education in Afghanistan, personal rights in Iran, protection against gender-based violence in conflict zones like Ukraine and Gaza, and the urgent need for actionable climate policies safeguarding the health and well-being of women in lower-income and agriculture-based economies.
In response to the persisting gaps, philanthropist Melinda French Gates advocates a straightforward remedy for 2024 and beyond: getting women into positions of power worldwide. As she wisely notes, it is in achieving this global balance that tangible and lasting change begins to take root. The evolving dynamics of female power in 2023 highlight not just the hurdles women face but also the strength, and transformative impact they bring to the forefront of our shared global narrative.
The Full List
| Rank | Name | Age | Location | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ursula von der Leyen | 65 | Belgium | Politics & Policy |
| 2 | Christine Lagarde | 67 | Germany | Politics & Policy |
| 3 | Kamala Harris | 59 | USA | Politics & Policy |
| 4 | Giorgia Meloni | 46 | Italy | Politics & Policy |
| 5 | Taylor Swift | 33 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 6 | Karen Lynch | 59 | USA | Business |
| 7 | Jane Fraser | 56 | USA | Finance |
| 8 | Abigail Johnson | 61 | USA | Finance |
| 9 | Mary Barra | 61 | USA | Business |
| 10 | Melinda French Gates | 59 | USA | Philanthropy |
| 11 | Julie Sweet | 56 | USA | Business |
| 12 | Kristalina Georgieva | 70 | USA | Politics & Policy |
| 13 | MacKenzie Scott | 53 | USA | Philanthropy |
| 14 | Gail Boudreaux | 63 | USA | Business |
| 15 | Emma Walmsley | 54 | The United Kingdom | Business |
| 16 | Ruth Porat | 66 | USA | Technology |
| 17 | Safra Catz | 62 | USA | Technology |
| 18 | Ana Patricia Botín | 63 | Spain | Finance |
| 19 | Carol Tomé | 66 | USA | Business |
| 20 | Sandy Ran Xu | 46 | China | Business |
| 21 | Kathryn McLay | 49 | USA | Business |
| 22 | Sarah London | 43 | USA | Business |
| 23 | Amy Hood | 51 | USA | Technology |
| 24 | Tarciana Paula Gomes Medeiros | 45 | Brazil | Finance |
| 25 | Laurene Powell Jobs & family | 60 | USA | Philanthropy |
| 26 | Catherine MacGregor | 51 | France | Business |
| 27 | Janet Yellen | 77 | USA | Politics & Policy |
| 28 | Gwynne Shotwell | 60 | USA | Technology |
| 29 | Phebe Novakovic | 66 | USA | Business |
| 30 | Tsai Ing-wen | 67 | Taiwan | Politics & Policy |
| 31 | Oprah Winfrey | 69 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 32 | Nirmala Sitharaman | 64 | India | Politics & Policy |
| 33 | Ho Ching | 70 | Singapore | Finance |
| 34 | Thasunda Brown Duckett | 50 | USA | Finance |
| 35 | Marianne Lake, Jennifer Piepszak | USA | Finance | |
| 36 | Beyoncé Knowles | 42 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 37 | Shari Redstone | 69 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 38 | Kathy Warden | 52 | USA | Business |
| 39 | Dana Walden | 59 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 40 | Amanda Blanc | 56 | The United Kingdom | Business |
| 41 | Susan Li | 38 | USA | Technology |
| 42 | Margherita Della Valle | 58 | USA | Business |
| 43 | Adena Friedman | 54 | USA | Finance |
| 44 | Mary Callahan Erdoes | 56 | USA | Finance |
| 45 | Lynn Martin | 47 | USA | Finance |
| 46 | Sheikh Hasina Wajed | 76 | Bangladesh | Politics & Policy |
| 47 | Sri Mulyani Indrawati | 61 | Indonesia | Politics & Policy |
| 48 | Gina Rinehart | 69 | Australia | Business |
| 49 | Lisa Su | 54 | USA | Technology |
| 50 | Vicki Hollub | 64 | USA | Business |
| 51 | Nicke Widyawati | 55 | Indonesia | Business |
| 52 | Shemara Wikramanayake | 61 | Australia | Finance |
| 53 | Tricia Griffith | 59 | USA | Business |
| 54 | Jessica Tan | 46 | China | Business |
| 55 | Judy Faulkner | 80 | USA | Technology |
| 56 | Tokiko Shimizu | 58 | Japan | Finance |
| 57 | Donna Langley | 55 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 58 | Jennifer Salke | 59 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 59 | Wang Laichun | 56 | China | Technology |
| 60 | Roshni Nadar Malhotra | 42 | India | Technology |
| 61 | Jenny Johnson | 59 | USA | Finance |
| 62 | Yuriko Koike | 71 | Japan | Politics & Policy |
| 63 | Hana Al Rostamani | United Arab Emirates | Finance | |
| 64 | Suzanne Scott | 57 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 65 | Lynn Good | 64 | USA | Business |
| 66 | Sinead Gorman | 46 | The United Kingdom | Business |
| 67 | Bela Bajaria | 52 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 68 | Belén Garijo | 63 | Germany | Business |
| 69 | Melanie Kreis | 52 | Germany | Business |
| 70 | Soma Mondal | 60 | India | Business |
| 71 | Paula Santilli | Mexico | Business | |
| 72 | Mette Frederiksen | 46 | Denmark | Politics & Policy |
| 73 | Joey Wat | 52 | China | Business |
| 74 | Rihanna | 35 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
| 75 | Linda Thomas-Greenfield | 71 | USA | Politics & Policy |
| 76 | Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw | 70 | India | Business |
| 77 | Güler Sabanci | 68 | Turkey | Business |
| 78 | Trudy Shan Dai | 47 | China | Business |
| 79 | Debra Crew | 52 | The United Kingdom | Business |
| 80 | Robyn Denholm | 60 | Austrailia | Business |
| 81 | Solina Chau | 61 | Hong Kong | Philanthropy |
| 82 | Lee Boo-jin | 53 | South Korea | Business |
| 83 | Robyn Grew | 54 | The United Kingdom | Finance |
| 84 | Zuzana Caputova | 50 | Slovakia | Politics & Policy |
| 85 | Mary Meeker | 64 | USA | Finance |
| 86 | Makiko Ono | 63 | Japan | Business |
| 87 | Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala | 69 | Nigeria | Politics & Policy |
| 88 | Mpumi Madisa | 44 | South Africa | Business |
| 89 | Melanie Perkins | 36 | Austrailia | Business |
| 90 | Dominique Senequier | 70 | France | Finance |
| 91 | Raja Easa Al Gurg | United Arab Emirates | Business | |
| 92 | Julia Gillard | 62 | The United Kingdom | Philanthropy |
| 93 | Samia Suluhu Hassan | 63 | Tanzania | Politics & Policy |
| 94 | Xiomara Castro | 64 | Honduras | Politics & Policy |
| 95 | Kirsten Green | 52 | USA | Finance |
| 96 | Choi Soo-yeon | 42 | South Korea | Business |
| 97 | Jenny Lee | 51 | Singapore | Finance |
| 98 | Mo Abudu | 59 | Nigeria | Media & Entertainment |
| 99 | Mia Mottley | 58 | Barbados | Politics & Policy |
| 100 | Barbie | 64 | USA | Media & Entertainment |
