Claudia Sheinbaum — President of Mexico

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—cheaper than the typical rival in terms of administrative cost, with a government budget that is 15% more efficient per capita than the average for large economies.