Forbes publishes the names of the 100 most powerful women in the world for 2025
Forbes magazine has released its list of the 100 most powerful women in the world for 2025, highlighting figures from politics, business, technology, culture and media who shape the global landscape of power.
This year’s ranking includes two iconic figures from Nigeria, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the founder and CEO of EbonyLife Media, Mo Abudu. Both women are on the list alongside key figures from the international scene, such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who takes the top spot.
The list also includes European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, Japan's first female prime minister Sanae Takaichi, and Namibia's president Netubo Ndi-Ndaitwa. Kim Kardashian, co-founder of Skims and a fashion entrepreneur with more than 350 million followers on social media, is also included for the first time. In 2025, her company reached a valuation of $5 billion, while her collaboration with Nike on the NikeSkims line further strengthened her international presence. The list also includes Taylor Swift, who became a billionaire in October 2023, becoming the first musician to enter the relevant ranking thanks solely to income from her music and live performances.
Forbes explains that the women were selected based on four key dimensions: economic power, public media presence, social and institutional influence, and breadth of influence. The assessment covered six key areas, including business, technology, finance, media and culture, politics, and philanthropy.
The 100 women on the list collectively manage more than $4.9 trillion in revenue, employ more than 9.3 million people, and influence countries that account for more than half of global GDP. As Forbes notes, these are women who stand out for their resilience in a period of intense geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Five African women on the list of 100 women
Five African women are included in this year's ranking. Among them is FirstRand Group CEO Mary Vilakazi, who will take over one of the continent's largest banking groups in 2024. The list also includes Namibian President Netubo Ndi-Ndaitwa, the country's first female head of state, and Bidvest CEO Bhumi Madisa, who leads a group of around 130,000 employees.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala holds a special place as the first woman and first African to be appointed director-general of the World Trade Organization, while Mo Abudu is recognized as one of the most powerful women in global media, forging historic partnerships with companies such as Netflix, Sony Pictures Television and AMC Networks.
Top ten places on the global list
Forbes' 2025 ranking is led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Also high on the list are Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and senior leaders from the global business scene, such as General Motors CEO Mary Barra, Citi CEO and chairwoman Jane Fraser, Fidelity Investments chairman and CEO Abigail Johnson and AMD CEO Lisa Su.
Forbes emphasizes that power in today's era is not limited to a title or industry, but is expressed through the ability to shape policies, markets, technological developments, and cultural trends on a global scale.
