Forbes, a renowned business magazine, recently unveiled its compilation of the most influential women globally for 2023. The rankings were meticulously determined based on four key criteria: financial stature, media visibility, impact, and spheres of influence. Political figures underwent evaluations tied to their countries’ economic metrics and population, while corporate leaders were appraised using criteria such as revenues, valuations, and workforce scale.
Heading this prestigious roster is Ursula von der Leyen, a German physician and politician currently serving as the President of the European Commission. The 65-year-old luminary is accompanied by three other political stalwarts: Christine Lagarde, Kamala Harris, and Giorgia Meloni.
Nirmala Sitharaman
Forbes Rank – 32
Born in 1959, Nirmala Sitharaman is an economist and a prominent figure in the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). Since 2019, she has held key positions as the Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs in the Government of India, contributing significantly to the nation’s financial landscape. Before this, Sitharaman made history as India’s first full-time female Defence Minister from 2017 to 2019. In 2022, Forbes ranked her 36th among the world’s most powerful women, and this year she has moved up to the 32nd spot.
Roshni Nadar Malhotra
Forbes Rank – 60
At 41, Roshni Nadar Malhotra serves as the Chairperson of HCL Technologies, marking a historic moment as the first woman to lead a listed IT company in India. As the only child of HCL founder Shiv Nadar, Roshni pursued a diverse career before taking on leadership roles at HCL, eventually becoming the executive director and CEO of HCL Corporation. Beyond her corporate responsibilities, she dedicates herself to empowering the economically underprivileged through the VidyaGyan Leadership Academy. Additionally, she founded ‘The Habitats’ trust to preserve India’s natural habitats and native species.
Soma Mondal
Forbes Rank – 70
Dubbed the “Queen of Steel,” Soma Mondal served as the Chairperson of the Steel Authority of India from January 1, 2021, to April 30, 2023. Holding the distinction of being the first woman Functional Director and Chairperson of SAIL, she led the company to a historic milestone by surpassing Rs 1 lakh crore in revenue for the first time in the fiscal year 2022. With over three decades of experience in the metal industry, Mondal, a graduate in Electrical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, has previously worked at NALCO before joining SAIL in 2021.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Forbes Rank – 76
A 70-year-old titan in the entrepreneurial realm, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is the founder and executive chairperson of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited, a Bangalore-based biotechnology company founded in 1978. Specializing in manufacturing pharmaceutical ingredients distributed in over 120 countries, Shaw, who studied biology and zoology at Bangalore University, has also chaired the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. Recognized as the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020, her estimated net worth, according to Forbes, stands at $2.3 billion (approximately Rs 19,000 crore). For the unversed, Biocon is a leading global biopharmaceutical company making complex generics, biosimilars, and novel biologics.