Forbes has released its list of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” and a number of leading ladies have Chicago ties.
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, a native of Illinois, was named the second-most powerful woman in the world, according to the report.
The Democratic front-runner was cited for being the first and only first lady to become a U.S. senator and presidential candidate.
Clinton was followed closely by current first lady and Chicago-native Michelle Obama, who was noted as having “her own power seat in the White House.”
A veteran of the list, Oprah ranked in at no. 12 this year. She made the list as the top ranking billionaire with a personal net worth of $3 billion.
The ranking is based on eight categories including billionaires, business, celebrity, finance, media, philanthropy and intergovernmental organizations, politics, and technology.
The most powerful woman in the world, according to the list, is German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Local
Other notable women with Chicago ties include Chicago-native Virginia Rometty, the CEO of IBM, Irene Rosenfeld, CEO of Mondelez International and member of the Economic Club of Chicago, Chicagoan Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the World Food Programme, Rosalind Brewer, the president and CEO of Sam’s Club who is a graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and Padmasree Warrior, the chief technology and strategy officer of Cisco System who also served on the board of the Chicago Mayor’s Technology Council.
