2008 Most Powerful Women In The World
Business is and always has been a man’s world. To some extent that is largely still true because more men are occupying Chief Executive roles within companies all over the world. This is not to say that there are not powerful women out there who could serve as a fantastic example for other women to follow. In fact, there are many powerful women running huge multinational companies and corporations.
The top 20 most powerful women in the world in 2008 are as follows:
- Angela Merkel – The most powerful woman in the world in 2008 is the German Chancellor. Merkel has been at the helm of Germany since 2005. She is extremely well respected in her home country and is a key player in the European Union. As a result, her position as the most powerful woman in the world is well deserved.
- Sheila C Blair – Blair is the highest ranked American on the list. The Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In simple terms, she runs the company that guarantees Americans a certain sum of money back should the bank they save with goes bust. As we are in a credit crunch at the moment, her ranking has increased.
- Indra K Nooyi – The Chairman and Chief Executive of PepsiCo, which is the fourth largest food and drink company in the world. She is considered to be one of the best corporate leaders in the world and earns $14.7 million a year as a result.
- Angela Braly – Braly is the Chief Executive and President of WellPoint and earns $14.9 million in salary. The company takes care of the health of 35 million people in America and profited to the tune of $60 billion in 2007.
- Cynthia Carroll – The British Chief Executive of Anglo American, the mining firm. It is the largest mining firm in the world and produces coal, gold, platinum and diamonds. Given this impressive list it is no wonder that she is high on the list of the most powerful women in the world.
- Irene Rosenfeld – The Kraft Foods Chairman and Chief Executive earns $11.6 million a year from her role at the helm of the second largest food company in the world.
- Condoleezza Rice – Maybe not the most powerful woman in the world but certainly one of the most visible, Rice is the US Secretary of State. As such, she has an awful lot of say in the field of politics and deserves her standing here.
- Ho Ching – The most powerful woman in Singapore, Ho Ching is the Chief Executive of Temasek Holdings, the Singapore government’s investment company. As such, she has $127 billion at her disposal to save companies, affect stock prices and influence the financial situation all over the world.
- Anne Lauvergeon – Lauvergeon is the French Chief Executive of Areva, which is currently one of the largest energy companies in Europe. Specialising in nuclear energy, Lauvergeon’s power and influence will undoubtedly grow.
- Anne Mulcahy – The Xerox Corp Chairman and Chief Executive’s position on here is not solely a result of that role. She may earn a $12.8 million salary but she is also a member of several corporate boards across the United States.
- Gail Kelly – Kelly is the most powerful woman in Australia today. As the Westpac Bank Chief Executive and Managing Director, she has influence on the finances of the company, country and indeed the continent of Australasia.
- Patricia Woertz – Woertz is the Chairman, Chief Executive and President of Archer Daniels Midland, one of the leading agricultural processors in the world, and so it is safe to say that she is in complete control of the company and deserves her place amongst the most powerful women in the world.
- Cristina Fernandez – The President of Argentina is the third political figure on this list and has turned her country into a thriving economy since her 2007 election. Her previous standing within politics has also contributed to her position on this list.
- Cristine Lagarde – Lagarde is the French Minister of Economy, Finance and Employment. As the fourth political figure on this list, she is one of the driving forces behind France.
- Safra Catz – The President and Chief Financial Officer of Oracle earns $34.1 million every year and has one of the largest personal fortunes of any woman in the United States, which does go some way to explaining why she is so high on the list of the most powerful women in the world.
- Carole Tome – The Home Depot Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer is a female figure in the man’s world of retail and has taken the chain from strength to strength.
- Yulia Tymoshenko – Tymoshenko is the Ukrainian Prime Minister and is one of only a handful of women in her country’s government. She has an incredibly influence over politics in Eastern Europe and deserves her place on the list.
- Mary Sammons – Sammons is the Chairman, Chief Executive and President of Rite Aid, the US pharmacy chain. Previously she was the CEO of Fred Mayer, thus showing her business acumen.
- Andrea Jung – Jung is the Chairman and Chief Executive of Avon and earns $11.1 million a year from the catalog sales company.
- Marjorie Scardino – The Chief Executive of British Pearson PLC, the media conglomerate. With several branches under her control, including the Financial Times group and Penguin Books, Scardino is a major player in the media world.
