For the 10th consecutive year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel takes the No. 1 spot, also marking her 15th total appearance on the list. Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, maintains her position at No. 2 on this year’s ranking. New to the top three is the U.S. Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris, who will serve as the first female Vice President of the United States and is the first Black and Indian American to hold the position.
Amid the global pandemic, the world leaders on this year’s list have transformed society and continue to reshape their respective industries. UPS CEO Carol Tomé (No. 11) and Clorox executive Linda Rendle (No. 87) have provided essential services, while CVS Health Executive Vice President and incoming CEO Karen Lynch (No. 38) continues to lead the charge in providing Covid-19 testing and will soon aid in the delivery of Covid vaccines worldwide, says Forbes.
"Across all corridors of power, the leaders on this year’s list of The 100 World’s Most Powerful Women are rising to address the unprecedented challenges of 2020 head on,” said Moira Forbes, Executive Vice President, Forbes and Publisher, ForbesWomen. “While Covid-19 has put hard-won gains achieved around gender equity at risk, this year’s listees are solving for long-standing problems that require urgent action to move us all forward."
"From our first-ever female vice president-elect to the incoming first female CEO of a Wall Street bank, the women on this year's list are shaping history in unprecedented ways," said Maggie McGrath, editor of ForbesWomen. "The leaders, founders and philanthropists on the 2020 Power Women list are global models for steady and thoughtful leadership amid a crisis. Their continued power and influence in 2021 will help make the world a healthier and safer place for all citizens."
To coincide with the list launch, Forbes is hosting The 2020 Forbes Power Women’s Summit, which will spotlight the women who can harness the power of this pivotal moment to shape a new way forward and come up with actionable solutions to drive meaningful progress.
This year’s speaker lineup includes- Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre; Melinda Gates, co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Tracee Ellis Ross, Actress & CEO and Founder, Pattern Beauty; Tina Tchen, President and CEO, TIME’S UP Now & the TIME’S UP Foundation and more.
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