Here Are Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women in 2020 From All Over the Globe
Forbes just released their seventeenth annual list of the 100 most powerful women in the world in 2020, and here’s what you need to know.
This incredible list of powerful women includes billionaires, politicians, world leaders, musicians, actors, humanitarians, and more. Some of the most recognizable names include Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Melinda Gates, Reese Witherspoon, Taylor Swift, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna, Beyoncé Knowles, and Queen Elizabeth II. Many of these women have single-handedly changed the course of history, and are being honored for their heroic efforts.
Announcing the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women of 2020: https://t.co/fSEkDPz9Nh #PowerWomen pic.twitter.com/8u6uB1LTYI
— Forbes (@Forbes) December 8, 2020
Vice President-elect Harris has been placed at number three, behind Merkel and Lagarde, for her work in politics (as she previously served as a Senator in California) and her work for women. As a woman of color, she is the first African-American and South-Asian woman to serve as vice president of the United States and has broken several long-standing barriers for women of color. Additionally, former Senator Harris made sure that women’s voices will be heard when she debated with former Vice President Mike Pence and repeatedly stopped him when he interrupted her with the iconic phrase, “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking.”
Queen Elizabeth II has been listed as the 46th most powerful woman in the world as she is the longest-reigning monarch in England’s history, and has provided numerous opportunities for young people all over the world. A true humanitarian, HRH has worked with organizations and charities all over the globe and adapted to the changing times.
For this week’s #charitytuesday we’re focusing on @RoyalAlbertHall, an historic venue which has hosted some of the world’s most renowned artists and performers.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 8, 2020
The Queen is Royal Patron, and is a regular visitor to the hall, most notably for the annual Festival of Remembrance. pic.twitter.com/5XSE8sB14Z
Other women on this list include Christine Lagarde, Ursula von der Leyen, Mary Barra, Ana Patricia Botín, Abigail Johnson, Gail Boudreaux, Carol Tomé, Emma Walmsley, Susan Wojcicki, Julie Sweet, Safra Catz, Ruth Porat, Judith McKenna, Kristalina Georgieva, Martina Merz, Jessica Tan, Sheryl Sandberg, Jane Fraser, Shari Redstone, Nicki Widyawati, Amanda Blanc, Phebe Novakovic, Amy Hood, Shemara Wikramanayake, Ho Ching, Jessica Uhl, Jacinda Ardern, Adena Friedman, Joey Wat, Stacey Cunningham, and Anne Finucane.
German Chancellor Merkel is listed as the number one most powerful woman in the world for the tenth year in a row, as she was the first female Chancellor of Germany (elected in 2005) and is currently serving her fourth term. Although Merkel has announced that she does not plan to seek reelection in 2021, she has helped Germany overcome a financial crisis and according to Forbes, welcomed “more than a million Syrian refugees” into Germany. A true leader, Merkel is beloved by many and trusted by other politicians all over the world.
A rising force in politics, Abrams has been listed as the 100th most powerful woman in the world in 2020 due to her work fighting for equality for all. She is known for founding the organization Fair Fight, which fights for voting rights for all in the state of Georgia. A democratic activist and according to Forbes, through Fair Fight, Abrams “raised $34 million in the last month of the 2020 general election alone.” Abrams previously served as the Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives and as a Member of the Georgia House of Representatives.
Georgia, thank you. Together, we have changed the course of our state for the better. But our work is not done.
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) November 7, 2020
Join me in supporting @ReverendWarnock and @ossoff so we can keep up the fight and win the U.S. Senate➡️https://t.co/JTyH1UVEtd #LetsGetItDoneAgain #gapol pic.twitter.com/qH5ZfmsgI7
Other women on this extensive list include Tsai Ing-wen, Karen Lynch, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Mary Callahan Erdoes, Nirmala Sitharaman, Laurene Powell Jobs and family, Marianne Lake, Kathy Warden, Gina Rinehart, Mingzhu Dong, Rosalind Brewer, Gwynne Shotwell, Vicki Hollub, Dana Walden, Erna Solberg, Donna Langley, Jennifer Salke, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Simonetta Sommaruga, Elvira Nabiullina, Tricia Griffith, Nicola Sturgeon, Maggie Wei Wu, Lynn Good, Kelly Zhang, Yuriko Koike, Wang Feng Ying, Melanie Kreis, Paula Santilli, MacKenzie Scott, Kiran Mazumdar- Shaw, Zhou Qunfei and family, Sophie Wilmes, Kathleen Kennedy, Judy Faulkner, Mette Frederiksen, Güler Sabancı, Andrea Marques de Almeida, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Ava DuVernay, Solina Chau, Lam Wai Ying, Zuzana Caputova, Mary Meeker, Sanna Marin, Eliza Manningham-Buller, Linda Rendle, Tory Burch, Raja Easa Al Gurg, Lee Boo-jin, Dominique Senequier, Anne Wojcicki, Mellody Hobson, Kirsten Green, Sahle-Work Zewde, Aileen Lee, Renuka Jagtiani, Rania Nashar, and Stacey Abrams.
Congratulations to all the Iron Ladies. #PowerWomen #PraiseWomen https://t.co/tqyOeZxfI5
— Sathiah Sudakaran (@mysathiah) December 8, 2020
Many of these extraordinary women are fighting for important causes like equal rights, voting rights, immigration, climate change, and more. Some of them have done this through political office, and others on stage or even on the screen. We would like to thank these women for what they have done for all of us and will continue to accomplish in the future.
