2 Singaporeans on Forbes list of 100 most powerful women in 2016

SINGAPORE - Forbes magazine released its annual list of 100 most powerful women of 2016, which features two Singaporean names among familiar and upcoming industry leaders in the field of business, entreprenuership, investing, science and philanthrophy.

Temasek Holdings chief executive Ho Ching, 63, has featured on the list every year since its inception in 2004. This year, she was ranked at No. 30, jumping 15 spots from last year's ranking, despite taking a sabbatical from the investment firm.

Madam Ho Ching has helped guide Temasek to a US$266 billion (S$359.80) portfolio by last year, Forbes said, adding that the company has recently signaled its desire to look for opportunities in Europe.

GGV Capital managing partner Jenny Lee was ranked 100th on the list, dropping down two places from 2015. Ms Lee, 44, has spent the last 15 years in the China tech scene, and has successful choices in investments to her credit including in the social platform YY which went public in 2012, and a US$10 million Series A round into Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle maker Ehang, which raised another US$42 million last year, Forbes said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel topped the list again this year, as she "guided her country through a recession with stimulus packages and subsidies for companies, with Germany entering 2016 with a budget surplus of 12.1 billion euros (S$18.6 billion) and an AAA rating from credit rating agencies", Forbes said.

US White House hopeful Hillary Clinton came in second, also steady in her ranking, and has a clear shot at the number one spot if she wins the Presidential election, Forbes said.

US Fed Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, philanthropist Melinda Gates and General Motors CEO Mary Barra rounded off the top five.

Other notable faces on the list included IMF chief Christine Lagarde (No. 6), Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (No. 7), Entreprenuer/Actress Oprah Winfrey (No. 21), Fashion guru and longtime Vogue editor Anna Wintour (No. 28), World Health Organisation director-general Margaret Chan (No. 38) and China's first lady Peng Liyuan (No. 58).

From South-east Asia, Indonesia's Sri Mulyani Indrawati (No. 37) - who is the managing director at World Bank - made the list, alongside self-made richest woman tech founder Zhou Qunfei (No. 61) and Vietnamese businesswoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (No. 62) among others.

This article was first published on June 7, 2016.
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