10 most influential women in the world 2011

The new Forbes magazine ranking.

1. Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany

Age: 57Ctrana: Germany

Sphere of influence: politics

German Chancellor Angela Merkel leads a strong European economy, the European Union is the undisputed leader. While the German economy grew rapidly until recently, and the unemployment rate fell, Merkel has faced many challenges: the loss of voters Support, eurozone crisis, where Germany is destined to save their weaker neighbors. It will have to stabilize the debt of the European Union and preserve the unity of the euro zone. Together with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Merkel calls for closer economic and political integration in the eurozone. And in Germany, its rating continues to fall: it is supported by only 36% of Germans, the lowest figure in the last five years.

Born in East Germany, and grew up in a socialist economy Merkel admits: "I still buy something as soon as I see, even if I do not need it. This is a deeply ingrained habit. "

2. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State

Age: 63Ctrana: US

Sphere of influence: politics

Hillary Clinton, the second year of successfully coping with the post of Secretary of State. For her, it was not an easy year: the Middle East, a wave of revolutions, WikiLeaks has published secret US intelligence dispatches. Hillary announced that there will be Secretary of State for a second term and will not be a candidate in the presidential election in 2016, but who said that she was ready to retire? There are rumors that Clinton hopes to lead the World Bank.

Clinton said that watching the operation to eliminate bin Laden, along with President Barack Obama, she experienced "the most tense moments in life", but stressed that covered her mouth, not from fear, but to relieve the cough.

3. Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil

Age: 63Ctrana: Brazil

Sphere of influence: politics

Dilma Rousseff is in the top line of the news when, in October, was elected president of the country with the largest economy in Latin America. For the first time this post was taken by a woman. But the election results were not that surprising. In 2005, the reformist president Lula da Silva appointed her boss on his camera (and in this position of women to Dilma was not) - then everyone expected that she would be his successor. Her political career is remarkable. A member of the radical labor movement, she spent two years in prison. Following the appointment of Rousseff Minister of Energy in 2001, it began to change her views on a more pragmatic and "capitalist".

In his spare time policy Rousseff loves to be in the theater - prefers classical Greek drama and opera.

4. Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo

Age: 55Ctrana: US

Sphere of influence: business

With annual revenues of $ 60 billion PepsiCo - the biggest company producing food and beverages in the United States. Its sales equal to the GDP of Croatia. Indra Nooyi for five years as CEO of PepsiCo: under her team of 300,000 employees worldwide. In light of the global fight against obesity Indra plans in 2020 to expand the production of food products from $ 13 billion to $ 30 billion, adding to the range of cereals and dairy products, fruits and vegetables, products for athletes. In the past year, it has increased the research budget of the company up to $ 488 million trying to open a prescription delicious low-calorie soda. She would have to hurry: in March, "Pepsi" has slipped to third place in popularity after the "Cola" and "Diet Coke". Indra Nooyi says he can distinguish the taste "Pepsi" from "Cola".

5. Sheryl Sandberg, CEO of Facebook

Age: 41Ctrana: US

Sphere of influence: business

Turning to Facebook in 2008 from its main competitor, Google, she helped increase the number of users of the social network from 70 million to 750 million: Facebook is now used 11% of the world population. Sheryl Sandberg helped monetize these figures. Startup, born in a student residence, is preparing for an IPO in early 2012, at which it can be estimated at $ 100 billion. After receiving an MBA from Harvard, Sandberg worked in the Treasury Department under Bill Clinton and was vice president of Google. One of the relatively few known of her sex in the technology business, it stands for the support of women: "We still have not achieved full equality of women and men at work and at home - she wrote in one of his columns in August. - We can and must improve. "

6. Melinda Gates, head of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Age: 47Ctrana: US

Sphere of influence: charity

Melinda Gates - founder and co-director of the largest and most generous private charitable foundation in the world. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will invest in the fight against poverty, health and education. Last year he spent on the charitable program of $ 2, 5 billion. Melinda studied computer science at Duke University, where he also received an MBA degree, and after graduation went to Seattle, becoming a developer at Microsoft. In 1994 she married the founder of Microsoft Bill Gates and soon left the company, taking up a charitable foundation. Over the past 8 years a couple has donated to charity $ 24 billion, or two-thirds of his fortune. Interestingly, in the home Gates banned Apple products, but Melinda admitted that she used the iPhone.

7. Sonia Gandhi, president of Indian National Congress

Age: 64Ctrana: India

Sphere of influence: politics

In 2010, Sonia Gandhi was unanimously re-elected president of the Indian National Congress for the fourth time. This is a record in the history of the party. Born in Italy, Sonia went to India, leaving in 1968 to marry Rajiv Gandhi, the political successor to Nehru-Gandhi family. Two decades, she has played a modest role of a politician's wife, and after her husband's assassination in 1998, took the lead. She refused to become prime minister when her party won elections in 2004 and 2009, entrusting it Manmohan Singh. Gandhi praised for economic growth, and has been criticized for the fact that she suffers political corruption and can not win the trust of a growing group of young voters.

Gandhi - a great connoisseur of art, she has a diploma restorer oil painting.

8. Michelle Obama, the First Lady of the United States

Age: 47Ctrana: US

Sphere of influence: politics

Michelle Obama is more popular than her husband: it is 70% rating and the rating of Barack Obama - less than 40%. The first lady remains popular due to its fight against childhood obesity and stylish outfits. This year, she was inspired by such companies as Coca-Cola, Kellogg and General Mills to ensure that their products reduce the caloric content by 2012.

Last year, Michelle Obama managed to make official visit to Africa, India, Latin America and the United Kingdom.

9. Christine Lagarde

Age: 55Ctrana: France

Sphere of influence: politics

In June, Christine Lagarde became the first woman to head the IMF, succeeding the retired Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Lagarde was born in France, but almost poolvinu life spent in the United States - studied in Chicago and then worked at the law firm Baker McKenzie, where she specialized in labor and anti-trust laws. Becoming a partner, and then headed the firm, she led Baker McKenzie to emerging markets. In 2003, Lagarde returned to France, and in 2007, the newly elected President Nicolas Sarkozy appointed her Minister of Finance. Lagarde has played a major role in the withdrawal of France from the financial crisis and deal with the crisis in the eurozone. Before the beginning of the legal and political crankcases Lagarde spoke in the French national team in synchronized swimming.

10. Irene Rosenfeld, CEO of Kraft Foods

Age: 58Ctrana: US

Sphere of influence: business

Irene Rosenfeld headed Kraft Foods, the second largest food producer in the world. It manages 170,000 employees in 170 countries. In 2004 she became CEO of Pepsi-owned company Frito-Lay, and in 2006 headed Kraft Foods. Under her leadership, the company entered the IPO, she spent the integration of Nabisco, LU and Cadbury and increased annual revenue by 43% to $ 49, 2 billion in 2010.

Here's how Irene defines the essence of power: "Leadership is service. I am here to help the organization achieve its goals, rather than to the employees carry out my wishes. "