Friday, August 29, 2008

Angela Merkel

Who is the world's most powerful woman - Angela Merkel - Chancellor of Germany. US magazine "Forbes" has listed Ms Merkel as the world's most powerful woman - for the third year running. What an achievement!

From The Independent:
"Mrs Merkel came out ahead of Sheila Bair, head of the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation which has been grappling with the global ructions triggered by America's sub prime crisis. Indra K. Nooyi, the chief executive of Pepsi Co came third. Condolezza Rice, the outgoing US Secretary of State dropped down the rankings from 4th to 7th.

Forbes gave Mrs Merkel credit for reforms in Germany which the magazine said had cut the country's previous record post-war unemployment and led to an economic upturn. Yet it failed to mention that the reforms in question were introduced by Gerhard Schröder, her predecessor as Chancellor. Indeed, some outsiders have argued that Mrs Merkel's unwieldy grand coalition government of conservatives and Social Democrats has forced her to make a string of compromises which have effectively rolled back economic reform.

Initially dismissed as a dowdy east German without dress sense and incapable of making an effective political speech, Mrs Merkel has gone from strength to strength since being elected Chancellor by a wafer thin majority in 2005. Her unpretentious, straightforward style has won her a reputation as a powerful and effective negotiator. Within the EU she has managed to broker important solutions over financing, carbon emissions and the controversial European constitution."

From the Sydney Morning Herald:
"Ms Merkel soundly beat the likes of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who fell from fourth place last year to seventh place, and former US first lady and Democratic presidential contender Senator Hillary Clinton, who was ranked 28th by the magazine - three places lower than last year.

Runner-up in the rankings was the little known Sheila Bair, head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the US agency that "maintains the stability and public confidence in the nation's financial system by insuring deposits, supervising financial institutions, and managing receiverships".

The third-place finisher was another unknown, Indra Nooyi, chief executive of US softdrink giant, PepsiCo, who was one of 54 business leaders on the list, unveiled on Wednesday. Argentine President Cristina Kirchner, one of 23 politicians on the list, is in 13th place.

Other notable women on the list include French Economy, Finance and Employment Minister Christine Lagarde, in 14th place; Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, head of the Indian National Congress Party, ranked 21st; and Queen Rania of Jordan, in 96th place."

Note: In 2007, Fortune Magazine listed Indra Nooyi as the Number 1 most powerful women in the US - for the second year in a row - so "unknown" - I think not.

Forbes Magazine: Angela Merkel
BBC News: Profile: Angela Merkel
Time Magazine (2006 Profile): Angela Merkel


1 comment:

VAJRA said...

AUM. A good story on powerful women of the world. The profile of Angela merkel is down to earth. Good show.
You may like to profile the new Prime Minister of japan. thanks.
submitted by Chitranjan Sawant