Forbes magazine released its annual list of the World’s 100 most powerful women for the year 2019 on Thursday. The list honours those in top leadership positions in business, philanthropy, media and politics.
Spanning across six categories, the list includes women in business (31 honorees), technology (17), finance (12), media & entertainment (14), politics & policy (22), and philanthropy (4).
Forbes Executive Vice President Moira Forbes said, “This year’s list of World’s Most Powerful Women is a collection of innovators and instigators who are leading on the world stage to redefine traditional power structures.”
“Their accomplishments are formidable on their own. Even more so given how difficult it can be to establish inroads into industries and job titles long-dominated by men,” she added. “These trailblazers are not to be messed with.”
The top-ranked woman for the ninth year in a row is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She was elected as the first female chancellor of Germany in 2005 and is currently serving her fourth term.
The list also includes three dynamic Indian women and they manage to stand apart from the rest.
Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister for GOI
The Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman managed stands proudly on number 34th in the list. Nirmala Sitharaman is the first female Finance Minister of India to set this record. She has previously also served the country as Defence Minister of India, the first female to hold the portfolio full time.
Read more about her here.
Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Executive Director and CEO of HCL Enterprise
According to IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List, 37-year-old Roshni is the richest woman in India in 2019. She stands at the number 54 in the list. This 38-year-old is the daughter of the founder of HCL, Shiv Nadar and her net-worth stands at Rs 36,800 crore. She is also the trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation. Which focuses on education and has established some of India’s top colleges and schools. Known for her philanthropic work, Roshni is also the founder and trustee of The Habitats Trust, a foundation working towards protecting habitats and their indigenous species.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson and Managing Director of Biocon Limited
Named India’s richest self-made woman, 66-year-old Kiran founded India’s largest biopharmaceutical firm in 1978 called Biocon Limited. Her net worth stands at $3.2 billion and apart from being an excellent leader, she is also known for her charity work towards the health sector. She set up the Mazumdar Shaw Medical Centre, with an aim to create a sustainable, affordable cancer care model.