Who are the most powerful women in the world?
A ranking gives an answer - at least in part.
New York - The outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel * has long been described as the most powerful woman in the world.
As head of government of the most populous member state of the European Union and the fourth largest economy in the world, she was certainly one of them.
The American business magazine Fortune annually examines who the most powerful women in the world are in the so-called free economy.
The editors use this to compile a ranking of 50 women who are at the top of companies.
The ranking for 2021 was published on Monday (October 4th, 2021).
Ranking of the most powerful women in the world: Karen Lynch tops the list
The most powerful woman in the world is therefore Karen Lynch, who became managing director of the US pharmaceutical chain CVS in February 2021.
According to the business editors at Fortune, the 57-year-old made CVS a key player in the fight against the coronavirus * in the US *.
The focus was on the distribution of tests and vaccines *.
Lynch's goal is also to transform healthcare.
To do this, she apparently wants to convert the CVS businesses into clinics.
Second on the list of the most powerful women in the world is Jane Fraser.
She took over the position of managing director of Citigroup in the spring of 2021, becoming the first woman to head one of the most important Wall Street investment banks.
Ranking of the most powerful women: Julie Sweet slips to third place
Accenture chairman and general manager Julie Sweet slipped from first to third place.
Nevertheless, she can look back on a successful year.
The Irish consulting firm's revenue rose 14 percent in the fiscal year, according to CNN report.
In addition, Sweet has invested in important future technologies such as 5G or blockchain and set the company ambitious climate targets: the company should be climate neutral by 2025.
The most powerful women in the world: Two black women in the top 10
Two black women are in the top ten of the Fortune rankings: Rosalin Brewer is in sixth place, and Thasunda Brown Duckett is in tenth place.
The two are the only black women to head Fortune 500 companies.
In addition to their leadership roles in companies with billions in sales, both are committed to justice.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Brewer made the fair distribution of vaccines a priority.
Duckett is known for advocating the inclusion of people of color in the financial sector.
The most powerful women: The top 10 of the ranking
1st place: Karen Lynch
2nd place: Jane Fraser
3rd place: Julie Sweet
4th place: Carol Tomé
5th place: Mary Barra
6th place: Rosalind Brewer
7th place: Gail Boudreaux
8th place: Abigail Johnson
9th place: Ruth Porat
10th place: Thasunda Brown Duckett
Half of the women in the first ten places of the Fortune ranking of the most powerful women in the world came to the top of their companies during the corona pandemic and thus had to take the lead in a time of extreme uncertainty.
"If there's one thing we can learn from the women on the list, it's that wasting a crisis would be terrible," writes Fortune.
After all, Angela Merkel was also able to distinguish herself in several crises.
(Max Schäfer)
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