[Dean's World] Dave Schuler: Forbes List of 100 Most Powerful Women

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Dave Schuler:
Forbes List of 100 Most Powerful Women
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1188654385.shtml


   Forbes has produced its 2007 list of the world's most powerful women.
   At the top of the list is Angela Merkel. I can understand Forbes's
   reasoning. As the head of government of country with the world's third
   largest economy (and the largest in Europe). She's a good pick.

   I can also understand Forbes's pick of Wu Yi, Vice Premier of China,
   for the second spot. I wouldn't be surprised if she's actually got
   more real power than Angela Merkel does.

   Here's the Top 20:

   1

   Angela Merkel

   Chancellor

   Germany

   2

   Wu Yi

   Vice premier

   China

   3

   Ho Ching

   Chief executive, Temasek Holdings

   Singapore

   4

   Condoleezza Rice

   Secretary of State

   U.S.

   5

   Indra K. Nooyi

   Chairman, chief executive, PepsiCo

   U.S.

   6

   Sonia Gandhi

   President, Congress Party

   India

   7

   Cynthia Carroll

   Chief executive, Anglo American

   U.K.

   8

   Patricia A. Woertz

   Chairman, Archer Daniels Midland

   U.S.

   9

   Irene Rosenfeld

   Chairman, chief executive, Kraft Foods

   U.S.

   10

   Patricia Russo

   Chief executive, Alcatel-Lucent

   U.S.

   11

   Michèle Alliot-Marie

   Minister for the Interior and overseas territories

   France

   12

   Christine Lagarde

   Minister of economy, finance and employment

   France

   13

   Anne M. Mulcahy

   Chairman, chief executive, Xerox

   U.S.

   14

   Anne Lauvergeon

   Chief executive, Areva

   France

   15

   Mary Sammons

   Chairman, chief executive, president, Rite Aid Corp.

   U.S.

   16

   Angela Braly

   Chief executive, president, WellPoint

   U.S.

   17

   Marjorie Scardino

   Chief executive, Pearson PLC

   U.K.

   18

   Wu Xiaoling

   Deputy governor, People's Bank of China

   China

   19

   Brenda Barnes

   Chairman, chief executive, Sara Lee Corp.

   U.S.

   20

   Ruth Bader Ginsburg

   Supreme court justice

   U.S.

   I think there are a few problems with the list. For example, I think
   the compilers of the list overestimate the actual powers of government
   officials in Western constitutional democracies. Is Condoleeza Rice
   really the fourth most powerful woman in the world? And more powerful
   than Nancy Pelosi at 26th? I have my doubts. Also, there doesn't
   appear to be much distinction made between power and influence. Oprah
   Winfrey has no power. She commands no armies, enacts no laws. But her
   influence is enormous.

   Some are just puzzling. Queen Elizabeth II (another example of
   relatively little power but enormous influence) has gone from from
   46th last year to 23rd this. Is she really that much more powerful
   than last year?