Top 10 Most Powerful Women in the World

Who are the world’s most powerful women? In May of this year, Forbes released its list of powerful women based on a range of criteria including money, media coverage, sphere of influence, and impact. We have pulled from that list and other sources to put together our own list of 2014’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women in the World.

#10 – Virginia Rometty

IBM CEO, Virginia Rometty takes the #10 spot on our list of 2014’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women in the World. Ms. Rometty was well known in the technology industry in 2011 when she was selected by IBM to take the helm of the tech company giant. Since then, her sphere of influence has broaden widely, as well as her pocketbook.

#9 – Sheryl Sandberg

Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, with a net worth over a billion dollars, takes the number 9 spot on 2014’s Most Powerful Women in the World. In June of 2012, Sandberg became the first woman to serve on Facebook’s board of directors. Sandberg also once served as chief of staff for the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.

#8 – Michelle Obama

Being First Lady of the United States of America, the most powerful country in the world, will certainly help in making into the list of 2014’s Most Powerful Women in the World. Since becoming First Lady, Michelle Obama, has launched an active campaign to combat childhood obesity with her school lunch program in order to promote “a healthier lifestyle”.

#7 – Mary Barra

GM CEO, Mary Barra, became the first woman to take the reigns of a major automaker and also takes the #7 spot of 2014’s Most Powerful Women in the World.

#6 – Hillary Clinton

Former First Lady, former U.S. Senator, former Secretary of State, and likely 2016 Presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton takes the #6 spot on 2014’s Most Powerful Women in the World.

#5 – Christine Lagarde

IMF Managing Director, Christine Lagarde takes the #5 position on the list of 2014’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women in the World. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a 188-country financial organization wielding immense power of the world’s monetary policy, thus making Ms. Laarde one of the most powerful women in the world.

#4 – Dilma Rousseff

Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff, ranks 4th in the world’s most powerful women. Rousseff oversees the 7th largest national economy in the world. Rousseff is the 36th President of Brazil and the first woman to hold that position.

#3 – Melinda Gates

Melinda Gates ranks 3rd on the list of 2014’s Most Powerful Women in the World according to Forbes. Since co-founding the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 1998, Gates has become well-known around the world for her generosity by donating billions to a wide variety of charities. Gates is also well known for her political activism.

#2 – Janet Yellen

As the first woman to Chair the United States Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen ranks #2 of 2014’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women in the World.

#1 – Angela Merkel

And the most powerful woman in the world in 2014, goes to German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. Merkel is one of the original architects of the 28-member European Union. Merkel entered politics after the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall and became Germany’s first female chancellor.