Forbes list of the World 's 100 Most Powerful Women - wikipedia Forbes list of the World 's 100 Most Powerful Women Logo of Forbes magazine Since 2004, Forbes has compiled a list of the 100 most powerful women in the world. It is edited by notable Forbes journalists, including Moira Forbes, and is based on visibility and economic impact. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has remained at the top spot since 2006, with the brief exception of 2010 where she was temporarily supplanted by the then U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama. Contents 1 2017 ( top 10 selection ) 2 2016 ( top 10 selection ) 3 2015 ( top 10 selection ) 4 2014 ( top 10 selection ) 5 2013 ( top 10 selection ) 6 2012 ( top 10 selection ) 7 2011 ( top 10 selection ) 8 2010 ( top 10 selection ) 9 2009 ( top 10 selection ) 10 2008 ( top 10 selection ) 11 2007 ( top 10 selection ) 12 2006 ( top 10 selection ) 13 2005 ( top 10 selection ) 14 2004 ( top 10 selection ) 15 See also 16 References 17 External links 2017 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel Theresa May Melinda Gates Sheryl Sandberg Mary Barra Susan Wojcicki Abigail Johnson Christine Lagarde Ana Patricia Botín Ginni Rometty Hillary Clinton Janet Yellen Meg Whitman Taylor Swift Dilma Rousseff Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube Abigail Johnson, President - CEO of Fidelity Investments Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM 2016 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany Hillary Clinton, Presidential candidate of the United States Janet Yellen, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ana Patricia Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander 2015 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany Hillary Clinton, Presidential candidate of the United States Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Janet Yellen, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors Taylor Swift, Songwriter and performer Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States 2014 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany Janet Yellen, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Hillary Clinton, Former United States Secretary of State Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook Virginia Rometty, CEO of IBM 2013 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany Dilma Rousseff, 36th President of Brazil. Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress party Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo 2012 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Jill Abramson, Executive Editor of The New York Times Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress party Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook 2011 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook Melinda Gates, Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress party Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Irene Rosenfeld, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Mondelēz International 2010 ( top 10 selection ) Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States Irene Rosenfeld, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Mondelēz International Oprah Winfrey Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo Lady Gaga Gail Kelly Beyoncé Knowles Ellen DeGeneres 2009 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel Sheila Bair Indra Nooyi Cynthia Carroll Ho Ching Irene Rosenfeld Ellen Kullman Angela Braly Anne Lauvergeon Lynn Elsenhans 2008 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel Sheila Bair Indra Nooyi Angela Braly Cynthia Carroll Irene Rosenfeld Condoleezza Rice Ho Ching Anne Lauvergeon Anne Mulcahy 2007 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel Wu Yi Ho Ching Condoleezza Rice Indra Nooyi Sonia Gandhi Cynthia Carroll Patricia Woertz Irene Rosenfeld Patricia Russo 2006 ( top 10 selection ) Angela Merkel Condoleezza Rice Wu Yi Indra Nooyi Anne Mulcahy Sallie Krawcheck Patricia Woertz Anne Lauvergeon Brenda Barnes Zoe Cruz 2005 ( top 10 selection ) Condoleezza Rice Wu Yi Yulia Tymoshenko Gloria Macapagal - Arroyo Margaret Whitman Anne Mulcahy Sallie Krawcheck Brenda Barnes Oprah Winfrey Melinda Gates 2004 ( top 10 selection ) Condoleezza Rice Wu Yi Sonia Gandhi Laura Bush Hillary Clinton Sandra Day O'Connor Ruth Bader Ginsburg Megawati Sukarnoputri Gloria Macapagal - Arroyo Carly Fiorina See also Forbes Magazine 's List of The World 's Most Powerful People 40 under 40 ( Fortune Magazine ) References Jump up ^ Howard, Caroline ( November 2, 2017 ). `` The World 's 100 Most Powerful Women In 2017 ''. Forbes. Retrieved December 16, 2017. Jump up ^ `` The World 's Most Powerful Women 2016 ''. Forbes. June 7, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016. Jump up ^ Howard, Caroline ( May 26, 2015 ). `` The World 's Most Powerful Women 2015 ''. Forbes. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Howard, Caroline ( May 28, 2014 ). `` The World 's Most Powerful Women 2014 ''. Forbes. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Howard, Caroline ( May 22, 2013 ). `` The 100 Most Powerful Women ''. Forbes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Howard, Caroline ( August 22, 2012 ). `` The World 's 100 Most Powerful Women 2012 ''. Forbes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Howard, Caroline ( August 24, 2011 ). `` The World 's 100 Most Powerful Women : This Year It 's All About Reach ''. Forbes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The 100 Most Powerful Women : November 2010 ''. Forbes.com. October 5, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2015. Jump up ^ Donner, Francesca ( August 19, 2009 ). `` The 100 Most Powerful Women ''. Forbes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Egan, Mary Ellen ; Schoenberger, Chana R. ( August 27, 2008 ). `` The World 's 100 Most Powerful Women ''. Forbes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The 100 Most Powerful Women ''. Forbes.com. August 30, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The 100 Most Powerful Women ''. Forbes.com. August 31, 2006. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Most Powerful Women ''. Forbes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ MacDonald, Elizabeth ; Schoenberger, Chana R. ( August 20, 2004 ). `` The World 's 100 Most Powerful Women ''. Forbes.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016. External links Official Forbes site : The World 's Most Powerful Women Forbes magazine lists Companies Global 2000 People General Celebrity 100 30 Under 30 China Celebrity 100 Fictional 15 Korea Power Celebrity World 's 100 Most Powerful Women World 's Most Powerful People Richest The World 's Billionaires Forbes 400 Forbes Asia Australia 's 50 Richest Places America 's Best Colleges Sports Highest - paid athletes Most valuable sports teams Most valuable football clubs Major League Soccer 's most valuable teams Technology Midas List ( Tech 's Top Deal Makers ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Forbes_list_of_The_World%27s_100_Most_Powerful_Women&oldid=832924849 '' Categories : Lists of women Forbes lists Talk Contents About Wikipedia Dansk Deutsch فارسی Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Bahasa Melayu Norsk Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Português Suomi Türkçe 中文 6 more Edit links This page was last edited on 28 March 2018, at 18 : 25. 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Question: most powerful woman in the world by forbes
Answer: German Chancellor Angela Merkel