Harris, Abrams selected for Forbes’ ‘most powerful women’ list

Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams are some of the women on the 17th annual power list that hail from 30 countries and were born across four generations.

DeMicia Inman

Dec 8, 2020

Forbes has released its annual ‘Most Powerful Women’ list with both new and familiar names in politics, advocacy, entertainment, and more.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is ranked at number three of 100, just behind German Chancellor Angela Merkel who ranked number one for the tenth year in-a-row and European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde at number two for the second straight year. The outlet cited her swift political ascension and performance in debate.

Kamala Harris Stacey Abrams thegrio.com — (Credit: Getty Images)

According to the outlet, “the women on the 17th annual power list hail from 30 countries and were born across four generations. There are 10 heads of state, 38 CEOs and five entertainers among them.” Forbes continued, “But where they differ in age, nationality, and job description, they are united in the ways they have been using their platforms to address the unique challenges of 2020.”

While some of the women listed are repeatedly recognized, Forbes highlighted 17 women for the first time. Among the newcomers include new UPS CEO Carol Tomé, at number 11, Clorox head Linda Rendle at 87, VS Health executive vice president and incoming CEO Karen Lynch listed at 38, and Stacey Abrams, cracking the 100th ranked spot.

“In a year marked by mass protests and political unrest around the world, few people deftly used their power quite like Fair Fight founder and voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams (No. 100),” the outlet wrote. “By working to help register some 800,000 people to vote in Georgia, the former state representative helped a Democratic presidential nominee win her state for the first time in 28 years. Her work is not done–she said she gave herself “17 minutes” of celebration before turning her focus to the critical Georgia Senate runoff elections in January.

Singers Rihanna and Beyoncé are also ranked coming in at 69 and 72 respectfully. Rihanna is recognized for her philanthropy including $8 million in COVID-19 relief as well as her business endeavors with FENTY, Fenty Beauty, and Savage Fenty and her ability to overcome adversity. The outlet highlighted Beyoncé for her successful music career and business partnerships including her successful Ivy Park brand with Adidas.

Media mogul Oprah is ranked at 20, Rosalind Brewer at number 48, Ava Duvernay at 79, and Melody Hobson is ranked 94, among the notable list.

According to Forbes, the final list was solidified on December 6. The platform shared to create the rankings, it had to ” applied four metrics: money (GDP, revenue, assets under management, or net worth), media mentions, impact (employee count, population) and spheres of influence.

Collectively, Forbes looked at “hard power (currencies and constitutions), dynamic power (audiences, communities and creative influence), and soft power (what are leaders doing with their influence, and particularly how they responded to the challenges presented by Covid in 2020) within the context of each woman’s field: business, media, technology, finance, philanthropy and politics.”

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