Okonjo-Iweala And Mo Abudu Make Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women List

Director-General of the World Trade Organisation( WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and media entrepreneur, Mo Abudu, have made Forbes’ 100 most powerful women list.

Gatekeepers News reports that Forbes has just listed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the 91st most powerful woman in the world, while Mo Abudu ranked 98th.

The 2021 list is a definitive survey of foremost CEOs and iconic entrepreneurs, policymakers, and pioneer philanthropists who are solving society’s most intractable problems.

The number one on the list is the philanthropist, author, and ex-wife of Amazon CEO, MacKenzie Scott, with a net worth of US$62.2 billion, owing to a 4% stake in the company.

Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala, who became the first female boss of the WTO made the list for her policies in pushing trade to lift developing countries out of poverty and actualisation of a sustainable development plan.

On the other hand, Forbes stated that Abudu was placed 98th for her “deal with Netflix which marked the first time an African media company signed a multi-title film and TV agreement with the streaming giant.”

Tanzania’s sixth president and first-ever female leader, Samia Suluhu Hassan also represented the African continent on the list.

Abudu took to her social media accounts to express her gratitude for the inclusion among other pioneers on the list.

Abudu wrote, “I’m humbled and deeply grateful to be amongst some of the world’s most amazing women, including MacKenzie Scott (no. 1), a novelist, philanthropist, and the third-wealthiest woman in the USA, and Christine Lagarde (no. 3), President of the European Central Bank,” she said.

The media entrepreneur also recognised her African female counterparts saying: “Women of colour on the list include US Vice-President Kamala Harris (no. 2,) and Oprah Winfrey, making her umpteenth appearance on this list.”

“There are only three African women on the list: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO (no. 91), Samia Suluhu Hassan, the current President of Tanzania (no. 94).”

Meanwhile, American singers, Rihanna and Beyonce Knowles ranked 68th and 76th respectively on the list, while 23 Grand Slam singles titleholder, Serena Williams was not left out of the list as she was placed 85th.

The list featured the most CEOs since 2015 – 40 who oversee a record $3.3 trillion in revenue.