Merkel tops Forbes’ most powerful list

GERMAN leader Angela Merkel and businesswomen dominate Forbes magazine’s new list of powerful women, while First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton didn’t break the top 30.

Merkel headed the list for the fourth year running, with the magazine highlighting her role as leader of the huge German economy and her likely re-election in September.

Reflecting the world’s focus on recession and the struggle to keep the financial markets afloat, Merkel was followed almost exclusively by businesswomen.

In second place came Sheila Bair, chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance.

Third was Indra Nooyi, chief executive at PepsiCo; then Cynthia Carroll, the chief executive of mining giant Anglo American; and Ho Ching, chief executive at Singapore’s government investment company, Temasek Holdings.

Hillary Clinton slipped from 28 last year, when she was close to winning the Democratic presidential nomination to 36, despite heading the powerful US State Department.

Michelle Obama entered the list for the first time but although she has the ear of the US president around the clock, she ranked only 40.

Below her, at 42, came Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.

“Women in power are rising to leadership positions in business, government and philanthropy by making daring and unconventional moves,” Forbes said. “Gone are the days of women feeling they must stick with one employer and wait for promotions.

“Highly ambitious women ... are moving across companies and industries, making big leaps with each change.”