Barely a month after being elected alongside Joe Biden as the US Vice-President elect, Kamala Harris has jumped from nowhere to become number 3 in the Forbes list of the world’s most powerful women in 2020.
Harris now ranks only just below Germany’s Angela Merkel in the top spot followed by European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde at number two.
Forbes on Tuesday announced its 17th annual ranking of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women which recognizes the trailblazers who are deftly steering countries, constituents and communities through one of the most tumultuous times in modern history.
For the 10th consecutive year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel takes the No. 1 spot, which also marks her 15th total appearance on the list.
Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, maintains her position at No. 2 on the 2020 year ranking.
New to the top three is the U.S. Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris, who will serve as the first female Vice President of the United States and is the first Black and Indian American to hold the position.
Kamala Harris who made the list for the very first time was an attorney general of California, before being elected to the US Senate.
She displaced House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who goes down from No. 3 to No. 7. Forbes said her “rapid ascension in U.S. politics” has “catapulted” her onto the list.
The list features influential leaders from 30 countries in politics, entertainment, business and more. Women born across four generations are included in the ranking, with 10 heads of state, 38 CEOs and five entertainers among those making the cut.
According to Forbes, “Across all corridors of power, the leaders on this year’s list of The 100 World’s Most Powerful Women are rising to address the unprecedented challenges of 2020 head on.
“While Covid-19 has put hard-won gains achieved around gender equity at risk, this year’s listees are solving long-standing problems that require urgent action to move us all forward.
“From our first-ever female vice president-elect to the incoming first female CEO of a Wall Street bank, the women on this year’s list are shaping history in unprecedented ways.
“The leaders, founders and philanthropists on the 2020 Power Women list are global models for steady and thoughtful leadership amid a crisis. Their continued power and influence in 2021 will help make the world a healthier and safer place for all citizens.”
Ursula von der Leyen, the first female president of the European Commission, and Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, round out the top five. Gates maintained her title as the most powerful woman in philanthropy, according to Forbes.
Some of the world’s most beloved personalities and entertainers also made the cut, including Oprah Winfrey at No. 20, Beyoncé Knowles at No. 72 and Taylor Swift clocking in at No. 82. Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning British monarch, also made the cut at No. 46.
