The 25 Most Powerful Women in the World
Rank Name Occupation Country
1 Angela Merkel Chancellor Germany
2 Wu Yi Vice premier China
3 Ho Ching Chief executive, Temasek Holdings Singapore
4 Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State U.S.
5 Indra K. Nooyi Chairman, chief executive, PepsiCo U.S.
6 Sonia Gandhi President, Congress Party India
7 Cynthia Carroll Chief executive, Anglo American U.K.
8 Patricia A. Woertz Chairman, Archer Daniels Midland U.S.
9 Irene Rosenfeld Chairman, chief executive, Kraft Foods U.S.
10 Patricia Russo Chief executive, Alcatel-Lucent U.S.
11 Michèle Alliot-Marie Minister for the Interior and overseas territories France
12 Christine Lagarde Minister of economy, finance and employment France
13 Anne M. Mulcahy Chairman, chief executive, Xerox U.S.
14 Anne Lauvergeon Chief executive, Areva France
15 Mary Sammons Chairman, chief executive, president, Rite Aid Corp. U.S.
16 Angela Braly Chief executive, president, WellPoint U.S.
17 Marjorie Scardino Chief executive, Pearson PLC U.K.
18 Wu Xiaoling Deputy governor, People's Bank of China China
19 Brenda Barnes Chairman, chief executive, Sara Lee Corp. U.S.
20 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Supreme court justice U.S.
21 Oprah Winfrey Chairman, Harpo U.S.
22 Margaret Whitman Chief executive, president, Ebay U.S.
23 Queen Elizabeth II Queen U.K.
24 Melinda Gates Cofounder, cochairman, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation U.S.
25 Hillary Rodham Clinton U.S. senator, New York U.S.
@Forbes 2008