Top 10 Most Powerful Women in the World 2025

Mexico's first female president led the world's fifteenth-largest economy through an intensely challenging year in 2025, negotiating trade terms with the Trump administration, managing cartel security challenges, and advancing clean energy policy. A climate scientist by training, Sheinbaum brought a technocratic and evidence-based approach to governance that was widely admired internationally. She governed over 130 million people, making her one of the world's most consequential female leaders.

As President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde managed monetary policy for the 20-nation eurozone in 2025, navigating a complex environment of residual inflation, slowing growth, and geopolitical uncertainty. Her decisions on interest rates and quantitative easing had direct consequences for hundreds of millions of Europeans. Lagarde also played a key role in international financial diplomacy through the G7 and G20 forums.

Janet Yellen served as US Treasury Secretary through January 2025, when the Trump administration replaced her. During her tenure she managed the largest advanced economy in the world through interest rate cycles and geopolitical financial sanctions. Her departure was widely noted as a loss of institutional expertise; she remained one of the most respected voices in global macroeconomics through public commentary and academic work throughout the year.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni consolidated her position as one of Europe's most influential right-wing leaders in 2025, maintaining a stable governing coalition and cultivating a unique role as a bridge between the European establishment and the Trump administration. Despite her political alignment with national-conservative movements, she pragmatically supported EU institutions and Ukraine aid. Meloni presided over an Italy that punched above its economic weight in European and G7 diplomacy.

Though succeeded as Taiwan's president in May 2024 by Lai Ching-te, Tsai Ing-wen remained deeply influential in 2025 as a global advocate for Taiwan's democratic sovereignty and a senior Democratic Progressive Party leader. She conducted an international speaking tour in 2025, meeting heads of state and legislators across the US, Europe, and Asia. Her decade of leadership had done more than any other individual to secure broad international recognition of Taiwan's distinct democratic identity.

Following her departure from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates deployed a personal philanthropic commitment of $1 billion in 2025 focused on women's rights, reproductive health, and expanding female political participation globally. Her investments in women-led organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America positioned her as one of the most impactful individual philanthropists working on gender equity. She was ranked among the top five most influential women in international development.

General Motors CEO Mary Barra navigated one of the most turbulent periods in automotive history in 2025, steering GM through an electric vehicle strategy reset amid fierce competition from Tesla and Chinese automakers. Barra restructured GM's EV portfolio and refocused investments on profitable truck and SUV lines while maintaining a long-term electrification roadmap. As CEO of America's largest domestic automaker, her decisions had consequences for hundreds of thousands of workers and supply chain partners.

Kemi Badenoch, elected leader of the UK Conservative Party in November 2024, became one of the most watched opposition politicians globally in 2025. As the first Black leader of a major UK political party, she brought a sharp, ideologically conservative voice to debates on immigration, free speech, and economic policy. Her political trajectory was closely monitored internationally as a potential future prime minister and a significant figure in the global centre-right political realignment.

As the IMF's First Deputy Managing Director, Indian-American economist Gita Gopinath was one of the most influential voices on global economic policy in 2025. She co-authored key IMF World Economic Outlook reports warning of fragmentation risks from US tariff policies and managed the IMF's engagement with dozens of countries facing debt distress. Her analysis of global trade disruptions was widely cited by finance ministers and central bankers across the world.

Mexico's first female president led the world's fifteenth-largest economy through an intensely challenging year in 2025, negotiating trade terms with the Trump administration, managing cartel security challenges, and advancing clean energy policy. A climate scientist by training, Sheinbaum brought a technocratic and evidence-based approach to governance that was widely admired internationally. She governed over 130 million people, making her one of the world's most consequential female leaders.

As President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde managed monetary policy for the 20-nation eurozone in 2025, navigating a complex environment of residual inflation, slowing growth, and geopolitical uncertainty. Her decisions on interest rates and quantitative easing had direct consequences for hundreds of millions of Europeans. Lagarde also played a key role in international financial diplomacy through the G7 and G20 forums.

Janet Yellen served as US Treasury Secretary through January 2025, when the Trump administration replaced her. During her tenure she managed the largest advanced economy in the world through interest rate cycles and geopolitical financial sanctions. Her departure was widely noted as a loss of institutional expertise; she remained one of the most respected voices in global macroeconomics through public commentary and academic work throughout the year.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni consolidated her position as one of Europe's most influential right-wing leaders in 2025, maintaining a stable governing coalition and cultivating a unique role as a bridge between the European establishment and the Trump administration. Despite her political alignment with national-conservative movements, she pragmatically supported EU institutions and Ukraine aid. Meloni presided over an Italy that punched above its economic weight in European and G7 diplomacy.

Though succeeded as Taiwan's president in May 2024 by Lai Ching-te, Tsai Ing-wen remained deeply influential in 2025 as a global advocate for Taiwan's democratic sovereignty and a senior Democratic Progressive Party leader. She conducted an international speaking tour in 2025, meeting heads of state and legislators across the US, Europe, and Asia. Her decade of leadership had done more than any other individual to secure broad international recognition of Taiwan's distinct democratic identity.

Following her departure from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates deployed a personal philanthropic commitment of $1 billion in 2025 focused on women's rights, reproductive health, and expanding female political participation globally. Her investments in women-led organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America positioned her as one of the most impactful individual philanthropists working on gender equity. She was ranked among the top five most influential women in international development.

General Motors CEO Mary Barra navigated one of the most turbulent periods in automotive history in 2025, steering GM through an electric vehicle strategy reset amid fierce competition from Tesla and Chinese automakers. Barra restructured GM's EV portfolio and refocused investments on profitable truck and SUV lines while maintaining a long-term electrification roadmap. As CEO of America's largest domestic automaker, her decisions had consequences for hundreds of thousands of workers and supply chain partners.

Kemi Badenoch, elected leader of the UK Conservative Party in November 2024, became one of the most watched opposition politicians globally in 2025. As the first Black leader of a major UK political party, she brought a sharp, ideologically conservative voice to debates on immigration, free speech, and economic policy. Her political trajectory was closely monitored internationally as a potential future prime minister and a significant figure in the global centre-right political realignment.

As the IMF's First Deputy Managing Director, Indian-American economist Gita Gopinath was one of the most influential voices on global economic policy in 2025. She co-authored key IMF World Economic Outlook reports warning of fragmentation risks from US tariff policies and managed the IMF's engagement with dozens of countries facing debt distress. Her analysis of global trade disruptions was widely cited by finance ministers and central bankers across the world.