The World's Most Powerful People 2013
Who's No. 1?
Who’s more powerful: the autocratic leader of a former superpower or
the handcuffed commander in chief of the most dominant country in
the world? This year the votes for the World’s Most Powerful went to
Russian President Vladimir Putin. He climbs one spot ahead of U.S.
President Barack Obama, who held the title in 2012.
the handcuffed commander in chief of the most dominant country in
the world? This year the votes for the World’s Most Powerful went to
Russian President Vladimir Putin. He climbs one spot ahead of U.S.
President Barack Obama, who held the title in 2012.
Putin has solidified his control over Russia while Obama’s lame duck
period has seemingly set in earlier than usual for a two-term president
— latest example: the government shutdown mess. Anyone watching
this year’s chess match over Syria and NSA leaks has a clear idea of
the shifting individual power dynamics.
period has seemingly set in earlier than usual for a two-term president
— latest example: the government shutdown mess. Anyone watching
this year’s chess match over Syria and NSA leaks has a clear idea of
the shifting individual power dynamics.
The Most Powerful People in the World list is an annual snapshot of the
heads of state, CEOs and financiers, philanthropists and NGO chiefs,
billionaires, and entrepreneurs who truly rule the world. It represents
the collective wisdom of top FORBES editors, who consider hundreds of
nominees before ranking the planet’s top 72 power-brokers – one for
every 100 million people on Earth — based on their scope of influence
and their financial resources relative to their peers. (See full
methodology here).
heads of state, CEOs and financiers, philanthropists and NGO chiefs,
billionaires, and entrepreneurs who truly rule the world. It represents
the collective wisdom of top FORBES editors, who consider hundreds of
nominees before ranking the planet’s top 72 power-brokers – one for
every 100 million people on Earth — based on their scope of influence
and their financial resources relative to their peers. (See full
methodology here).
This year’s list features 17 heads of state who run nations with a
combined GDP of some $48 trillion — including the three most powerful
people, Putin, Obama and Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the
Communist Party of China. The 27 CEOs and chairs control over $3
trillion in annual revenues, and 12 are entrepreneurs, including new
billionaires on the list, Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote (No. 64), founder of
Dangote Group, and Oracle’s Larry Ellison (No. 58).
Speaking of, this year’s class has 28 billionaires valued in excess of
$564 billion.
combined GDP of some $48 trillion — including the three most powerful
people, Putin, Obama and Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the
Communist Party of China. The 27 CEOs and chairs control over $3
trillion in annual revenues, and 12 are entrepreneurs, including new
billionaires on the list, Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote (No. 64), founder of
Dangote Group, and Oracle’s Larry Ellison (No. 58).
Speaking of, this year’s class has 28 billionaires valued in excess of
$564 billion.
Newcomers: Among the 13 newcomers are Pope Francis (No. 4),
Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-Hee (No. 41), Volkswagen’s Martin
Winterkorn (No. 49), South Korean President Park Geun-hye (No. 52),
IBM CEO Virginia Rometty (No. 56), and Janet Yellen (No. 72),
nominated by President Obama as the next leader of the U.S. Federal
Reserve. Rosneft CEO and Putin confidant Igor Sechin (No. 60) and Jill
Abramson (No. 68), the executive editor of the New York Times, make
a return appearance after dropping of the list in years past.
Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-Hee (No. 41), Volkswagen’s Martin
Winterkorn (No. 49), South Korean President Park Geun-hye (No. 52),
IBM CEO Virginia Rometty (No. 56), and Janet Yellen (No. 72),
nominated by President Obama as the next leader of the U.S. Federal
Reserve. Rosneft CEO and Putin confidant Igor Sechin (No. 60) and Jill
Abramson (No. 68), the executive editor of the New York Times, make
a return appearance after dropping of the list in years past.
He’s Not No. 1: This is the first year that Putin carries the crown.
Obama has been on the top of the list for every year with the
exception
of 2010, when Hu Jintao, the former political and military leader of
China, was No. 1.
Obama has been on the top of the list for every year with the
exception
of 2010, when Hu Jintao, the former political and military leader of
China, was No. 1.
Women Moving Up In Numbers: This year there are nine women on the
list, representing 12% of the world’s most powerful — in stark contrast
to being 50% of the world’s population. Both 2011 and 2012 featured
six women leaders, and the inaugural list from 2009 included only 3 —
or just 4.4%. Recently elected Park of South Korea joins the other
female heads of state German Chancellor Angela Merkel No.5), Brazil’s
Dilma Rousseff (No. 20)and de facto head of India Sonia Gandhi (No.
21). Two of the world’s most important NGO’s are run by women:
Christine Lagarde (No. 35) leads the IMF and Margaret Chan (No. 59)
steers the World Health Organization.
list, representing 12% of the world’s most powerful — in stark contrast
to being 50% of the world’s population. Both 2011 and 2012 featured
six women leaders, and the inaugural list from 2009 included only 3 —
or just 4.4%. Recently elected Park of South Korea joins the other
female heads of state German Chancellor Angela Merkel No.5), Brazil’s
Dilma Rousseff (No. 20)and de facto head of India Sonia Gandhi (No.
21). Two of the world’s most important NGO’s are run by women:
Christine Lagarde (No. 35) leads the IMF and Margaret Chan (No. 59)
steers the World Health Organization.
Billionaires: Worth a cumulative $564 billion. Sure they’re rich but
many of these billionaires deserve special attention for their
philanthropic work, including Warren Buffett (No. 13), Michael
Bloomberg (No. 29), Li Ka-shing (No. 30), Charles and David Koch (No.
31), and Mohammed Ibrahim (No. 71).
many of these billionaires deserve special attention for their
philanthropic work, including Warren Buffett (No. 13), Michael
Bloomberg (No. 29), Li Ka-shing (No. 30), Charles and David Koch (No.
31), and Mohammed Ibrahim (No. 71).
Entrepreneurs Represent: There are 12 in total. As expected, many
are headquartered on the West Coast: Google’s Larry Page and
Sergey
Brin (No. 17), Mark Zuckerberg (No. 24), Elon Musk (No. 47), Ellison
and Reid Hoffman (No. 65). Global entrepreneurial spirit spans from
Japan’s Masayoshi Son (No. 45) and China’s Robin Li (No. 61) to
Africa’s Dangote and Ibrahim.
are headquartered on the West Coast: Google’s Larry Page and
Sergey
Brin (No. 17), Mark Zuckerberg (No. 24), Elon Musk (No. 47), Ellison
and Reid Hoffman (No. 65). Global entrepreneurial spirit spans from
Japan’s Masayoshi Son (No. 45) and China’s Robin Li (No. 61) to
Africa’s Dangote and Ibrahim.
Year-over-year growth: The FORBES Most Powerful started in 2009,
seeking to answer a straight yet complex question: What is the true
nature of power and can we really compare and rank heads of state
with religious figures and drug traffickers? The premise has always
been to select one person for every 100 million on the planet.
seeking to answer a straight yet complex question: What is the true
nature of power and can we really compare and rank heads of state
with religious figures and drug traffickers? The premise has always
been to select one person for every 100 million on the planet.
The first list had 67 slots. This year we are up to 72. At this fifth
edition, it’s notable that most of the leaders who made the top 10 on
the inaugural list are still on today: Obama, Putin, Bill Gates (No. 6),
U.S. Fed Chair Ben Bernanke (No. 7), the King of Saudi Arabia (No. 8),
Wal-Mart CEO Michael Duke (No. 10), billionaire Carlos Slim Helu (No.
12), Page and Brin, and Rupert Murdoch (No. 33).
edition, it’s notable that most of the leaders who made the top 10 on
the inaugural list are still on today: Obama, Putin, Bill Gates (No. 6),
U.S. Fed Chair Ben Bernanke (No. 7), the King of Saudi Arabia (No. 8),
Wal-Mart CEO Michael Duke (No. 10), billionaire Carlos Slim Helu (No.
12), Page and Brin, and Rupert Murdoch (No. 33).
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