Dfor almost 20 years, Forbes unveils at the end of the year its ranking of the 100 most powerful women on the planet. In 2021, three French personalities stand out, starting with Christine Lagarde. Now at the head of the European Central Bank, the former boss of the International Monetary Fund is on the 3rd place of the podium, a decline of one place in a year. The former Minister of the Economy was overtaken by Kamala Harris, American vice-president, in second position.
Further down the list, two other French figures stand out for their influence in business. Catherine MacGregor, CEO of Engie, climbs to 29th place while Dominique Senequier, President of Ardian (ex-Axa Private Equity), ranks 87th. At the top of the ranking, we find MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. The third richest woman in the world, divorced since July 2019 from the billionaire entrepreneur, donates her fortune largely to charity.
Angela Merkel bows out
Note that this year, a large absentee stood out. For the third time only, Angela Merkel is not at the top of the ranking of the most influential women in the world. After 16 years in power, the former German Chancellor has given way to Olaf Scholz in the Chancellery. In addition to politics and business, this 2021 selection of Forbes Also features personalities from music including singers Rihanna and Beyoncé, television (host Oprah Winfrey) and film (director Ava Duvernay).
