1. Vladimir Putin
President of Russia
Age: 63
A country: Russia
Family status: divorced, two children
According to Forbes, Vladimir Putin still has no equal in terms of the totality of parameters analyzed. The Russian president continues to prove that he is one of the few people in the world powerful enough to do what they want, Forbes notes. " International sanctions, introduced after his seizure of Crimea and the outbreak of a proxy war in Ukraine, collapsed the ruble and plunged the country into a deep recession, but did not harm Putin himself: in June his rating rose to a record 89%. In October, he began bombing ISIS positions in Syria and met with President Bashar al-Assad, weakening the position of the United States and NATO in the region and returning international influence to Russia,” the publication concludes.
2. Angela Merkel
Chancellor of Germany
Age: 61
A country: Germany
Family status: Married
Angela Merkel continues to rule one of the world powers and remains the most influential woman in the world for more than 10 years. In December 2014, she was elected for the third time to the post of Chancellor of Germany - after another four years at the head of the government, she will turn into the main democratically elected political long-liver of the EU. Merkel competently guided the German economy through the global crisis, skillfully applying stimulus measures and government subsidies, and also played a decisive role in maintaining united Europe, intervening in the Greek crisis. The German chancellor is also an active supporter of the fight against ISIS, becoming the first German ruler to break the post-World War II taboo on participation in hostilities. Merkel became an important participant in another conflict - the Ukrainian one. Here she acts as a mediator and, together with Vladimir Putin, is one of the guarantors of the existing peace agreements.
3. Barack Obama
President of the U.S.A
Age: 54
A country: USA
Family status: married, two children
The United States, of course, remains the leading global power - in economics, culture, diplomacy, technology, military and other sectors. However, in the last year of his presidency, Obama clearly lost his own influence. Domestically, his rating rarely rises above 50%, and on the global stage the American leader is eclipsed by Angela Merkel as the mistress of a united Europe and Vladimir Putin as the new main character Middle East conflict.
4. Pope Francis
Pope
Age: 78
A country: Vatican
The spiritual leader of one-sixth of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, Pope Francis has radically changed the church's conservative image in just a few years. In September, he made a triumphant six-day visit to the United States, where he spoke before Congress and the UN, touching on climate issues, immigration, the infringement of the rights of religious minorities in the Middle East, etc. He also visited a prison in Philadelphia and met with victims of sexual abuse, again asking for forgiveness for sex scandals in the church. The first Jesuit pope and the first Latin American pontiff, he does not hesitate to discuss previously taboo topics, such as the rights of sexual minorities, women's rights, etc. Francis also devotes a lot of time to helping the poor, which is highly appreciated by his flock.
5. Xi Jinping
Chairman of the People's Republic of China
Age: 62
A country: China
Family status: married, one child
The Chinese leader carefully uses his influence as the head of the world's second largest economy. After coming to power, he actively took up the implementation of market reforms and demonstrated open-mindedness. Compared to his predecessors, Xi leads a fairly open lifestyle and puts a lot of effort into fighting corruption and building good relations with other powers - both in the West and in the East. From his October trip to the United States and Britain, the Chinese President brought back agreements worth a fantastic $46 billion.
6. Bill Gates
Founder of Microsoft
Age: 60
A country: USA
Family status: married, three children
This year has been decisive in many ways for one of the world's richest men. 40 years ago, Gates and his friend Paul Allen founded Microsoft with the goal of bringing computers to every home. Today, 84% of Americans have a computer at home. 15 years ago, Bill and Melinda Gates opened a charitable foundation that aims to eliminate social inequality, and have already invested more than $30 billion in it. In May, the Gates announced that their foundation would help those affected by the Ebola virus, and a month later Melinda announced that the fund will spend $776 million over the next six years to fight hunger.
7. Janet Yellen
Chairman of the Federal reserve system
Age: 69
A country: USA
Family status: married, one child
The first woman to head the world's top financial regulator has quickly gained the influence she lacked compared to her powerful predecessor, Ben Bernanke. Yellen's arrival as head of the Fed also coincided with the US economy emerging from the crisis, and now her task is to restore Americans' faith in American dream. In October, the Federal Reserve announced its readiness to wind down the economic stimulus program, but promised to leave the refinancing rate at zero. The regulator under Yellen’s leadership already has $4.5 trillion in assets on its balance sheet—for comparison, American GDP is $16.8 trillion.
8. David Cameron
Prime Minister of Great Britain
Age: 49
A country: Great Britain
Family status: married, four children
Cameron was re-elected to his post in May this year. The Conservative Party leader is very active on Twitter, where he has 834,000 followers, and also enjoys taking selfies, most famously with American President Barack Obama at Nelson Mandela's funeral.
9. Narendra Modi
Prime Minister of India
Age: 65
A country: India
Family status: married
In his first year in office, Narendra Modi increased the country's GDP by 7.4%, as well as his status in the international arena by holding meetings with Barack Obama and Xi Jinping. Modi's reforms have increased India's influence in the tech market, but to secure his position, he needs to reform the party and bring the opposition under control.
10. Larry Page
Founder of Google
Age: 42
A country: USA
In August 2015, Larry Page announced his intention to cede the post of Google CEO to the curator of the corporation's search business, Sundar Pichai, by the end of the year. The billionaire himself will move to the chair of CEO of the new holding company Alphabet, which will unite both the core business of the Internet giant and its innovative divisions, including Google X, Nest, Fiber, Calico, etc. Google announced the legal restructuring after its shares in July corporations soared to new historical records amid success in mobile search, the development of YouTube and promises of additional investment in development. Previously, Page and the team launched Sidewalk Labs, an organization that will focus on urban planning and improving the mobile services industry. Larry founded Google in 1998 with fellow Stanford student Sergey Brin and served as the company's first CEO until 2001. He then took a ten-year break from product development and returned to the post of CEO in 2011. In October 2014, Pichai began participating in the operational management of the business, while Page focused on long-term strategic issues. The Google co-founder is known as one of the most committed proponents of alternative energy in Silicon Valley.
47. Igor Sechin
President of Rosneft
Age: 55
A country: Russia
Family status: married, one child
Although Igor Sechin is considered right hand the most powerful man in the world, this did not prevent him and the state-owned company Rosneft, which he heads, from falling under US visa and financial sanctions imposed after Russia's alleged military intervention in Ukrainian conflict. “Putin trusts him like no one else,” says expert Mark Galeotti of New York University. “And if Putin trusts you, influence and money will always follow.”
54. Alexey Miller
Chairman of the Board of Gazprom
Age: 53
A country: Russia
Miller controls the main weapon of the Russian economy - the country's largest company, the gas monopolist Gazprom (revenue in 2014 - $146.6 billion). Since the early 1990s, he has been closely acquainted with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Unlike Igor Sechin, Miller saved himself and his company from participating in the sanctions war between Russia and the West.
57. Alisher Usmanov
Major shareholder of USM Holdings
Age: 62
A country: Russia
Family status: married
One of Russia's richest businessmen, Usmanov has skillfully diversified his portfolio of assets. He owns controlling shares in the metallurgical giant Metalloinvest, the second largest Russian mobile operator Megafon and the leading business weekly Kommersant. The billionaire whose Current state Forbes estimates it at $13.9 billion, and is also part of the influential lobbying body - Russian Union industrialists and entrepreneurs. In 2013, he was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree. Usmanov is one of the early investors in Facebook. In 2013, he sold shares of the social network and focused on eastern Internet giants: online retailer Alibaba and manufacturer Xiaomi smartphones, in which the businessman invested $500 million. He also owns a stake in the London football club Arsenal. 12% of Usmanov’s holding belongs to his business partners and key managers.
Forbes presented on Wednesday new rating the most influential people peace. The list includes 72 political, economic, business and public figures - one per 100 million people on the planet. The rating was topped by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 61-year-old politician displaced his American colleague Barack Obama from the first place. Chinese President Xi Jinping rounded out the top three. Read more about the most influential people in the world by Forbes version read on.
The rating is based on the subjective choice of the American editors of the magazine. The criteria for influence include indicators such as the number of people affected by the decisions of the rating participant, financial flows, which the rating participant controls as an administrator, manager or owner, and the activity with which the rating participant uses his power.
1. Vladimir Putin
Who: President of Russia
influences: Russia
Industry: politics
Age: 61
Ascension Russian leader his rise to the top of the Forbes influence rating was facilitated by both the process of “tightening the screws” within the country and his successes in the diplomatic arena.
In particular, Putin proposed a compromise solution to the Syrian problem that suited all parties and relieved tension in the conflict, which almost escalated into a full-scale war. In addition, the Russian President provided political refuge ex-CIA employee Edward Snowden, whose high-profile revelations became not only a headache for American intelligence agencies, but also a problem for other states, whose diplomats the fugitive programmer turned to for support.
The world's largest remains under Putin's control nuclear arsenal, a voice in the UN Security Council and record hydrocarbon deposits. The leader of the rating has at least five more years left absolute power, and could potentially rule Russia until 2024.
2. Barack Obama
Who: US President
influence: USA
Industry: politics
Age: 52
The American leader lost first place in the rating to his Russian colleague amid numerous squabbles in US domestic politics.
Obama was never able to convince Congress of the need to implement health insurance reform according to his plan, which ultimately led the country to a dead end: in early October, US government agencies had to close for 16 days due to the inability of politicians to find consensus on the budget and the national debt ceiling. An equally sensitive blow to Obama’s reputation was the revelations of Edward Snowden, which put the head of state in the position of an eternally justifying person.
And yet, even with the entry into the second presidential term and the accompanying suspicions of becoming a lame duck, Obama remains the leader of the most powerful political, economic and military nation in the world.
3. Xi Jinping
Who: Chairman of the People's Republic of China
influence: China
Industry: politics
Age: 60
The new Chinese leader in 2012 officially took the helm of the second most influential world power with a population of 1.3 billion people, which is almost 20% of the entire planet's population. China under Xi remains the largest holder of American foreign debt - the Celestial Empire owns US Treasury receipts worth $1.3 billion. Rapid economic growth continues: over 10 years, the number of official billionaires in China has increased from zero to 122, and GDP has reached $8.2 trillion. In addition to the post of Chairman of the People's Republic of China, Xi is the Secretary General of the Communist Party and the head of the country's military forces.
4. Pope Francis
Who: Pope
influences: Roman Catholic Church
Industry: religion
Age: 76
Francis succeeded Benedict XVI as head of the Roman Church in March 2013. His mission is to breathe new energy into an institution that unites 1.2 billion people around the world.
The first Jesuit pope and the first native pope Latin America has already made a number of reform statements, from calling for gender equality to reducing the degree of critical rhetoric towards supporters of abortion, gay marriage and contraceptives. Francis, or Jorge Mario Bergoglio in the world, uses social media, preaches on Twitter and even, in accordance with the spirit of the times, takes selfies - self-portraits for social networks.
He comes from a large family of Italian immigrants who settled in Buenos Aires. The Pope is known as a passionate fan of the San Lorenzo de Almagro football club.
5. Angela Merkel
Who: Chancellor of Germany
influence: Germany
Industry: politics
Age: 59
The most powerful woman in the world remains key figure in solving political and economic problems of the European Union.
Merkel's commitment to a hard line of savings and preserving the euro as a single currency has greatly helped the EU survive as an integration entity, despite the crisis. southern economies of the Old World and persistent calls for reverse disintegration from the North.
Recently the "Iron Chancellor" without visible problems was re-elected to the post she has held continuously since 2005. In Forbes' ranking of the world's most powerful women, Merkel has climbed to the top 8 times over the past 10 years.
6. Bill Gates
Who: Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
influences: Microsoft, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Industry: business, philanthropy
Age: 58
With a net worth of $72 billion, Gates recently regained his status as the richest person in the world according to Forbes. Myself founder of Microsoft wherein most spends time on the work of a charitable foundation, which he manages with his wife Melinda.
As a philanthropist, he has already spent $28 billion. Gates's most recent major philanthropic endeavors include April's $335 million polio program, which was joined by six other billionaires with $100 million in contributions, including Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Microsoft shares have been rising since late August, when the software giant announced Steve Ballmer's resignation as CEO. Gates remains chairman of the board of directors at the company he co-founded with Paul Allen in 1975.
Together with Warren Buffett, Gates continues to recruit participants for the Giving Pledge initiative, in which billionaires make a public pledge to donate at least 50% of their wealth to charitable causes.
7. Ben Bernanke
Who: Fed Chairman
influence: Fed
Industry: economics
Age: 59
"Big Ben" is preparing to leave the world's most powerful economic post on January 31, 2014. Recently the name of his successor became known - Janet Yellen will head the Federal Reserve in next year. During his time in office, Bernanke became a living symbol of the fight against the consequences. global crisis. The former Princeton professor became the main lobbyist for the policy of soft economic stimulation and ensured, albeit modest, but still stable rates of US GDP growth.
8. Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud
Who: King of Saudi Arabia
influences: Saudi Arabia
Industry: politics
Age: 89
The Saudi monarch's influence comes not only from his high authority in the Muslim world, but also from his control over 20% of the world's oil reserves (265 million barrels). GDP growth up to $727 billion allowed the kingdom to enter the top 20 global economies. At the same time, the unemployment rate in the country remains at 12%, and 50% of the population is under 25 years of age. King Abdullah recently allocated $130 billion for youth employment and housing programs.
9. Mario Draghi
Who: Chairman of the European Central Bank
influence: ECB
Industry: economics
Age: 66
« Super Mario“I got a position that is not the most comfortable in modern economic realities. He has become the face of the troubled eurozone economy, with a combined GDP of $17 trillion. Draghi has to make investors optimistic every time and maneuver between the interests of states that are so different by all criteria, such as Greece and Germany. And so far he is coping with this paradoxical task.
10. Michael Duke
Who: CEO of Wal-Mart Stores
influences: Wal-Mart Stores
Industry: business
Age: 63
The head of the world's largest retailer with revenues of $470 billion and the world's second largest employer with 2.2 million employees could not help but enter the top 10 most influential people. Duke, as the CEO of Wal-Mart, can decide the fate of a product with one signature, simply by removing it from the shelf or putting it there. In the fall, he was part of a delegation of 20 CEOs of the largest American companies visited Washington, where he tried to convince President Obama of the need for a speedy solution to the budget impasse.
11. David Cameron
Who: British Prime Minister
influences: UK
Industry: politics
Age: 47
The Tory leader presides over the world's sixth-largest economy and has often drawn comparisons to Margaret Thatcher for his commitment to fiscal austerity. True, Cameron got it for his populist proposal to cut the electricity tax for households. The Oxford graduate and distant relative of King William IV is known as a vocal critic of Edward Snowden. In two years, Cameron will have to lead the Conservatives into new elections.
12. Carlos Slim
Who: Chairman of the Honorary Charitable Foundation
influences: América Movil
Industry: business, philanthropy
Age: 73
The Mexican telecommunications tycoon displaced Bill Gates as the world's richest man for several years, but this year he again lost the palm to the American. Slim's business empire includes assets in mining industry, development and media (in the publishing house The New York Times). In 2012, the billionaire acquired three football clubs at once - two in his native Mexico and one in Spain. In February 2013, Slim joined Gates' initiative to fight hunger and support innovative farming technology.
13. Warren Buffett
Who: CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
influences: Berkshire Hathaway
Industry: business, philanthropy
Age: 83
“The Oracle of Omaha,” despite being diagnosed with prostate cancer and his advanced age, does not let go of the operational management of his business empire. His fortune has grown by almost $20 billion in a year, to $53.5 billion, and Buffett has not lost his taste for big deals. In June, Berkshire Hathaway launched a takeover of the legendary ketchup manufacturer Heinz for $23.2 billion, and before that acquired energy company NV Energy for $5.6 billion in cash. The investor continues to actively participate in charity: in July, he sent another $2 billion in Berkshire shares to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Collectively, Buffett’s philanthropic initiatives have already reached the $20 billion mark.
14. Li Keqiang
Who: Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
influence: China
Industry: politics
Age: 58
China's second-largest politician after Xi Jinping, Li, despite his loyalty to the party's communist ideals, is known as a champion economic liberalism. He was one of the lobbyists for the report World Bank, who called on the Celestial Empire to accelerate reforms in the opposite direction to state capitalism.
15. Jeff Bezos
Who: CEO of Amazon.com
influences: Amazon.com
Industry: business, technology
Age: 49
Bezos has rapidly emerged as one of the world's most influential businessmen with the rapid growth of the online retailer he founded. Amazon, with annual sales of $61 billion, has expanded its reach into technology, fashion, streaming video and traditional media. In the summer, Bezos acquired The Washington Post holding for $250 million.
16. Rex Tillerson
Who: Exxon Mobil CEO
influences: Exxon Mobil
Industry: business
Age: 61
The head of the largest US oil and gas corporation led Exxon to a phenomenal result of $44.9 billion in profit last year. The company remains the world's largest publicly traded oil and gas producer and operates on six continents. Tillerson is considered one of the most influential and effective lobbyists in the industry.
17. Sergey Brin
Who: co-founder, head of special projects at Google
influence: Google
Industry: business, technology
Age: 40
The co-founders of Google have been working harmoniously and effectively in tandem for more than a decade. While Paige carries out operational management over the entire search giant, Brin focused on the corporation's most innovative devices within the Google X division. It's about about the projects of “augmented reality” glasses Google Glass and an unmanned vehicle. Along with Page, Brin has donated $400 million to charity this year.
18. Larry Page
Who: Co-founder, CEO of Google
influence: Google
Industry: business, technology
Age: 40
Page is in charge of the world's most popular website with a monthly audience of 1 billion users, a corporation with $50 billion in revenue and a rapidly growing business. The Google CEO is responsible for numerous M&A deals, such as the purchase of the crowdsourcing application Waze for $1 billion and the acquisition of Motorola's mobile division for $12.5 billion. Both 40-year-old Google co-founders are worth about $25 billion.
19. Francois Hollande
Who: French President
influences: France
Industry: politics
Age: 59
Hollande became the first French president in two decades from socialist party and was immediately confronted with the financial problems facing Europe's second-largest economy. His popularity rating dropped to 23% in October amid bungling in a high-profile scandal over migrant deportations. This is the lowest electoral figure for a French president in the last 20 years - even lower than that of Hollande's unpopular predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy. Recently, the head of state criticized his American colleague Barack Obama for the facts of wiretapping by US intelligence agencies. telephone conversations million French (70 calls and SMS messages were listened to and viewed in just one month).
20. Timothy Cook
Who: Apple CEO
influences: Apple
Industry: business, technology
Age: 52
Apple is not only the most valuable company in the world, but also an unrivaled authority in the design and technology industries, in the film and music business, in media and telecommunications. This year, at Cook's request, his bonus will be linked to the company's stock performance. In 2012, Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs' successor, earned $4.2 million.
53. Dmitry Medvedev
Who: Prime Minister of Russia
influences: Russia
Industry: politics
Age: 48
Chapter Russian government, despite serious reputational losses after the reverse castling with Vladimir Putin, remains the second most influential figure in the domestic power vertical. However, the chances are that current president countries decide to entrust all the threads of control to their junior comrade for the second time, are negligible.
60. Igor Sechin
Who: President, Chairman of the Board of Rosneft
influence: Rosneft
Industry: business
Age: 53
Vladimir Putin's loyal ally has returned to the Forbes ranking after a year of absence. He did not join the government of Dmitry Medvedev and maintained tense relations with the current prime minister. But in the status of the head of Rosneft, the former curator of the fuel and energy complex in the Cabinet of Ministers initiated the “deal of the century” to absorb TNK-BP worth $56 billion. Soon Sechin will officially become the head of the largest public oil company in the world in terms of production. At the same time, he maintains close relations with the first person of the state, which in Russian realities remains the main resource of administrative weight.
63. Alisher Usmanov
Who: General Director of Gazprominvestholding
influences: USM Holdings
Industry: business
Age: 60
Russia's richest man made his $17.6 billion fortune in metals, but last years diversified the business by acquiring assets in telecommunications (Megafon), media (Kommersant Publishing House) and technology (Mail.ru Group). He also owns a stake in London football club Arsenal.
Forbes on Wednesday unveiled a new ranking of the world's most powerful people. The list includes 72 political, economic, business and public figures - one per 100 million people on the planet. The rating was topped by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 61-year-old politician displaced his American colleague Barack Obama from the first place. Chinese President Xi Jinping rounded out the top three. Read more about the most influential people in the world according to Forbes in the gallery.
The rating is based on the subjective choice of the American editors of the magazine. The criteria for influence include such indicators as the number of people affected by the decisions of the rating participant, the financial flows that the rating participant controls as an administrator, manager or owner, and the activity with which the rating participant uses his power.
1. Vladimir Putin
Who: President of Russia
Source of influence: Russia
Industry: politics
Age: 61
The rise of the Russian leader to the top of the Forbes influence rating was facilitated by both the process of “tightening the screws” within the country and his successes in the diplomatic arena.
In particular, Putin proposed a compromise solution to the Syrian problem that suited all parties and relieved tension in the conflict, which almost escalated into a full-scale war. In addition, the Russian President granted political asylum to ex-CIA employee Edward Snowden, whose high-profile revelations became not only a headache for American intelligence services, but also a problem for other states, whose diplomats the fugitive programmer turned to for support.
The world's largest nuclear arsenal, a voice in the UN Security Council and record hydrocarbon deposits remain under Putin's control. The leader of the rating has at least five more years of absolute power left, and could potentially rule Russia until 2024.
2. Barack Obama
Who: US President
Source of influence: USA
Industry: politics
Age: 52
The American leader lost first place in the rating to his Russian colleague amid numerous squabbles in US domestic politics.
Obama was never able to convince Congress of the need to implement health insurance reform according to his plan, which ultimately led the country to a dead end: in early October, US government agencies had to close for 16 days due to the inability of politicians to find consensus on the budget and the national debt ceiling. An equally sensitive blow to Obama’s reputation was the revelations of Edward Snowden, which put the head of state in the position of an eternally justifying person.
And yet, even as he enters a second presidential term and with attendant suspicions of becoming a lame duck, Obama remains the leader of the most powerful political, economic and military power in the world.
3. Xi Jinping
Who: Chairman of the People's Republic of China
Source of influence: China
Industry: politics
Age: 60
The new Chinese leader in 2012 officially took the helm of the second most influential world power with a population of 1.3 billion people, which is almost 20% of the entire planet's population. China under Xi remains the largest holder of American foreign debt - the Celestial Empire owns US Treasury receipts worth $1.3 billion. Rapid economic growth continues: over 10 years, the number of official billionaires in China has increased from zero to 122, and GDP has reached $8.2 trillion. While holding the post of Chairman of the People's Republic of China, Xi is also the Secretary General of the Communist Party and the head of the country's military forces.
4. Pope Francis
Who: Pope
Source of influence: Roman Catholic Church
Industry: religion
Age: 76
Francis succeeded Benedict XVI as head of the Roman Church in March 2013. His mission is to breathe new energy into an institution that unites 1.2 billion believers around the world.
The first Jesuit pope and the first pope born in Latin America has already made a number of reformist statements, from calling for gender equality to reducing the degree of critical rhetoric against supporters of abortion, gay marriage and contraception. Francis, or the Jorge Mario Bergoglio of the world, uses social media, preaches on Twitter and even, in keeping with the spirit of the times, takes photo “selfies” - self-portraits for social networks.
He comes from a large family of Italian immigrants who settled in Buenos Aires. The Pope is known as a passionate fan of the San Lorenzo de Almagro football club.
5. Angela Merkel
Who: Chancellor of Germany
Source of influence: Germany
Industry: politics
Age: 59
The most powerful woman in the world remains a key figure in solving the political and economic problems of the European Union.
Merkel's commitment to a hard line of austerity and maintaining the euro as a single currency has greatly helped the EU survive as an integration entity, despite the crisis in the southern economies of the Old World and persistent calls for a reverse disintegration from the north.
Recently, the “Iron Chancellor” was re-elected to the post she has held continuously since 2005 without any apparent problems. In Forbes' ranking of the world's most powerful women, Merkel has climbed to the top 8 times over the past 10 years.
6. Bill Gates
Who: Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Influence: Microsoft, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Age: 58
With a net worth of $72 billion, Gates recently regained his status as the richest person in the world according to Forbes. The Microsoft founder himself spends most of his time working on a charitable foundation, which he manages together with his wife Melinda.
As a philanthropist, he has already spent $28 billion. Gates's most recent major philanthropic endeavors include April's $335 million polio program, which was joined by six other billionaires with $100 million in contributions, including Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Microsoft shares have been rising since late August, when the software giant announced Steve Ballmer's resignation as CEO. Gates remains chairman of the board of directors at the company he co-founded with Paul Allen in 1975.
Together with Warren Buffett, Gates continues to recruit participants for the Giving Pledge initiative, in which billionaires make a public pledge to donate at least 50% of their wealth to charitable causes.
7. Ben Bernanke
Who: Fed Chairman
Source of influence: Fed
Industry: economics
Age: 59
"Big Ben" is preparing to leave the world's most powerful economic post on January 31, 2014. The name of his successor has recently become known: Janet Yellen will lead the Federal Reserve next year. During his tenure, Bernanke became a living symbol of the fight against the consequences of the global crisis. The former Princeton professor became the main lobbyist for the policy of soft economic stimulation and ensured, albeit modest, but still stable rates of US GDP growth.
8. Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud
Who: King of Saudi Arabia
Source of influence: Saudi Arabia
Industry: politics
Age: 89
The Saudi monarch's influence comes not only from his high authority in the Muslim world, but also from his control over 20% of the world's oil reserves (265 million barrels). GDP growth to $727 billion allowed the kingdom to enter the top 20 global economies. At the same time, the unemployment rate in the country remains at 12%, and 50% of the population is under 25 years of age. King Abdullah recently allocated $130 billion for youth employment and housing programs.
9. Mario Draghi
Who: Chairman of the European Central Bank
Source of influence: ECB
Industry: economics
Age: 66
“Super Mario” did not get the most comfortable position in modern economic realities. He has become the face of the troubled eurozone economy, with a combined GDP of $17 trillion. Draghi has to make investors optimistic every time and maneuver between the interests of states that are so different by all criteria, such as Greece and Germany. And so far he is coping with this paradoxical task.
10. Michael Duke
Who: CEO of Wal-Mart Stores
Influencer: Wal-Mart Stores
Industry: business
Age: 63
The head of the world's largest retailer with revenue of $470 billion and the world's second largest employer with 2.2 million employees could not help but enter the top 10 most influential people. Duke, as the CEO of Wal-Mart, can decide the fate of a product with one signature, simply by removing it from the shelf or putting it there. In the fall, he, as part of a delegation of 20 CEOs of the largest American companies, visited Washington, where he tried to convince President Obama of the need to quickly resolve the budget impasse.
11. David Cameron
Who: British Prime Minister
Source of influence: UK
Industry: politics
Age: 47
The Tory leader presides over the world's sixth-largest economy and has often drawn comparisons to Margaret Thatcher for his commitment to fiscal austerity. True, Cameron got it for his populist proposal to cut the electricity tax for households. The Oxford graduate and distant relative of King William IV is known as a vocal critic of Edward Snowden. In two years, Cameron will have to lead the Conservatives into new elections.
12. Carlos Slim
Who: Chairman of the Honorary Charitable Foundation
Influence: América Móvil
Industry: business, philanthropy
Age: 73
The Mexican telecommunications tycoon displaced Bill Gates as the world's richest man for several years, but this year he again lost the palm to the American. Slim's business empire includes assets in mining, development and media (in The New York Times). In 2012, the billionaire acquired three football clubs at once - two in his native Mexico and one in Spain. In February 2013, Slim joined Gates' initiative to fight hunger and support innovative farming technology.
13. Warren Buffett
Who: CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
Influencer: Berkshire Hathaway
Industry: business, philanthropy
Age: 83
“The Oracle of Omaha,” despite being diagnosed with prostate cancer and his advanced age, does not let go of the operational management of his business empire. His fortune has grown by almost $20 billion in a year, to $53.5 billion, and Buffett has not lost his taste for big deals. Berkshire Hathaway in June launched a takeover of the legendary ketchup maker Heinz for $23.2 billion, and before that acquired energy company NV Energy for $5.6 billion in cash. The investor continues to actively participate in charity: in July, he sent another $2 billion in Berkshire shares to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In total, Buffett’s philanthropic initiatives have already reached the $20 billion mark. 
14. Li Keqiang
Who: Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
Source of influence: China
Industry: politics
Age: 58
The second-largest politician in China after Xi Jinping, Li, despite his loyalty to the communist ideals of the party, is known as a champion of economic liberalism. He was one of the lobbyists for a World Bank report that called on the Middle Kingdom to accelerate reforms in the opposite direction to state capitalism.
5. Jeff Bezos
Who: CEO of Amazon.com
Influencer: Amazon.com
Industry: business, technology
Age: 49
Bezos has rapidly emerged as one of the world's most influential businessmen with the rapid growth of the online retailer he founded. Amazon, with annual sales of $61 billion, has expanded its reach into technology, fashion, streaming video and traditional media. In the summer, Bezos acquired The Washington Post holding for $250 million.
16. Rex Tillerson
Who: Exxon Mobil CEO
Source of influence: Exxon Mobil
Industry: business
Age: 61
The head of the largest US oil and gas corporation led Exxon to a phenomenal $44.9 billion in profit last year. The company remains the world's largest publicly traded oil and gas producer and operates on six continents. Tillerson is considered one of the most influential and effective lobbyists in the industry.
17. Sergey Brin
Who: co-founder, head of special projects at Google
Source of influence: Google
Industry: business, technology
Age: 40
The co-founders of Google have been working harmoniously and effectively in tandem for more than a decade. While Page oversees the entire search giant, Brin is focused on the corporation's most innovative devices within the Google X division. These include the Google Glass augmented reality glasses and self-driving car projects. This year, along with Page, Brin donated $400 million to charity.
18. Larry Page
Who: Co-founder, CEO of Google
Source of influence: Google
Industry: business, technology
Age: 40
Page is in charge of the most popular website in the world with a monthly audience of 1 billion users, a corporation with a head revenue of $50 billion and a rapidly growing business. The Google CEO is responsible for numerous M&A deals, such as the purchase of the crowdsourcing application Waze for $1 billion and the acquisition of Motorola's mobile division for $12.5 billion. Both 40-year-old Google co-founders are worth about $25 billion.
19. Francois Hollande
Who: French President
Source of influence: France
Industry: politics
Age: 59
Hollande became France's first Socialist president in two decades and was immediately confronted with the financial problems facing Europe's second-largest economy. His popularity rating dropped to 23% in October amid bungling in a high-profile scandal over migrant deportations. This is the lowest electoral figure for a French president in the last 20 years - even lower than that of Hollande's unpopular predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy. Recently, the head of state criticized his American colleague Barack Obama for the facts that US intelligence services wiretapped the telephone conversations of millions of French people (in just one month, 70 calls and SMS messages were listened to and viewed).
20. Timothy Cook
Who: Apple CEO
Influencer: Apple
Industry: business, technology
Age: 52
Apple is not only the most valuable company in the world, but also an unrivaled authority in the design and technology industries, in the film and music business, in media and telecommunications. This year, at Cook's request, his bonus will be linked to the company's stock performance. In 2012, Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs' successor, earned $4.2 million.
53. Dmitry Medvedev
Who: Prime Minister of Russia
Source of influence: Russia
Industry: politics
Age: 48
The head of the Russian government, despite serious reputational losses after the reverse castling with Vladimir Putin, remains the second most influential figure in the domestic power vertical. However, the chances that the current president of the country will decide to entrust all the threads of control to his younger comrade for the second time are negligible.
60. Igor Sechin
Who: President, Chairman of the Board of Rosneft
Source of influence: Rosneft
Industry: business
Age: 53
Vladimir Putin's loyal ally has returned to the Forbes ranking after a year of absence. He did not join the government of Dmitry Medvedev and maintained tense relations with the current prime minister. But in the status of the head of Rosneft, the former curator of the fuel and energy complex in the Cabinet of Ministers initiated the “deal of the century” to absorb TNK-BP worth $56 billion. Soon Sechin will officially become the head of the largest public oil company in the world in terms of production. At the same time, he maintains close relations with the first person of the state, which in Russian realities remains the main resource of administrative weight.
63. Alisher Usmanov
Who: General Director of Gazprominvestholding
Source of influence: USM Holdings
Industry: business
Age: 60
Russia's richest man made his fortune of $17.6 billion in metals, but in recent years he has diversified his business, acquiring assets in telecommunications (Megafon), media (Kommersant Publishing House) and technology (Mail.ru Group). He also owns a stake in London football club Arsenal.
Want to know who the most influential people in the world are in 2015? The Forbes rating, a well-known financial analytical magazine, will help you find the answer.
These people have a huge impact on world politics, economics and social life. Our well-being and safety depend on the decisions they make. Let's talk today about the most influential people of 2015.
In tenth place on the list of the most authoritative people on the planet according to Forbes is one of the founders of Google, who is responsible for major transactions there. While studying at the university, he met Sergei Brin. In 1998, they launched the world famous search engine Google. Page is only 42 years old, but he is already one of the wealthiest and most influential people on the planet.
9th place is taken by the owner of the cosmetics company L'Oreal. Old age did not prevent her from becoming an influential woman in the world. Her fortune is estimated at $45 billion. At the age of five, Liliana was left without a mother and became very close to her father. While still a teenager, she began working for the company as an apprentice. After the death of her father, Bettencourt became the sole owner of the L'Oreal cosmetics empire. Lilian is involved in charity work and supports various cultural and medical projects. Several major scandals are associated with her name. She was suspected of tax evasion and bribes to major political figures in France. In addition, Bettencourt is known for her litigation with heirs.
8th place in the list of the most influential people is Christine Lagarde. She has been the Managing Director of the IMF since 2011. This amazing woman has made a brilliant career in the world of men. In her youth, she was seriously involved in sports and joined the national synchronized swimming team. She graduated from two universities and worked as an attorney for more than 25 years at the largest law firm in the world, Baker and McKenzie, and then became the first woman to head it. Under her leadership, the company doubled its profits in a year, and Lagarde became one of the most prominent business women Europe. In 2011, she became France's economy minister and the first woman to hold this position. Christine Lagarde, according to Forbes magazine, is one of the most influential politicians in the world.
– perhaps not a single rating on a financial topic can do without it. One of richest people planets cannot but have enormous influence. 81 billion dollars - the fortune of one of the founders of Microsoft Corporation is estimated at such an astronomical amount. In 2013, Forbes magazine compiled a list of people in the world who spent the most on charity. Bill Gates and his wife took first place. 25 billion dollars - that’s how much they spent on charity and philanthropy. Gates is one of the founders of the Giving Pledge, which encourages the world's wealthy to give half of their wealth to charity. He himself intends to give at least $100 billion to good causes for the rest of his life. Bill Gates, the richest and most influential person on the planet, is in 7th place in the ranking.
He holds the post of Chairman of the European Central Bank and has to act in very difficult conditions. He tirelessly calls for unpopular but necessary reforms in the eurozone to survive.
In 5th position – . She has more than once been one of the most authoritative politicians. In 2005, she made history by becoming the first woman to serve as Federal Chancellor of Germany. Merkel is a physicist by education. At the end of the 1980s, she decided to actively engage in politics. By joining the Christian Democratic Union, Merkel became one of the deputies of the Bundestag. From the beginning of the 1990s, she served as Minister of Women's Affairs, then became Minister of environment. In 2000, she was elected chairman of the Christian Democratic Union party and was re-elected to this position several times. Having become Federal Chancellor, she achieved enormous popularity within a year - Merkel’s policies were supported by more than 80% of Germans. Her rise to power marked a rapprochement with Washington. At the same time, the German government continued to maintain partnership with until the crisis in relations in 2014. Despite the difficult situation of the European economy, in 2013 Angela Merkel was re-elected as Chancellor of Germany for the third time.
He turned out to be fourth on the list of the most authoritative people in the world. While still a cardinal, he showed his modesty and unpretentiousness. He refused a personal car and the luxury apartments of the archbishop, preferring to live in a small apartment and travel by public transport. In 2013, he was elected as the next pope. Actively involved in the modernization of the Roman Catholic Church. Initially, the flock was shocked by his statement that God is not a magician. The pontiff went down in history as the pope who officially recognized the theory big bang and agreed with Darwin on questions of evolution. For this and his keen attention to pressing issues such as gender inequality and poverty, Pontiff Francis is loved, respected and considered one of the most authoritative people on the planet.
Third place in the list of the most authoritative people on Earth belongs to the leader. His popularity in the country is incredibly high. He continues the policy of turning China into a superpower and maintains partnerships with both Western and Asian countries, as well as with Russia.
On the second line of the Forbes rating is. The American leader has repeatedly topped the list of the most authoritative politicians, but has recently lost his position. He is accused of having all the levers of influence in his hands but not using them.
In 1st place are the most authoritative and influential people in the world. Last year, Forbes also recognized the Russian leader as the most powerful politician on the planet. In April of this year, Time magazine summed up the results of the reader's vote. It was necessary to choose the most influential people who changed the world for the better or for the worse during the year. And the Russian President was confidently in the lead in this ranking. This result is the result of his activities. Despite the difficult situation in which the country finds itself, sanctions and partial political isolation, people's trust in the president is higher than ever. The fact that Putin can afford to pursue policies without looking at the opinions of other countries also plays a role.
Reading time: 6 min.
The planet's population is growing every day, and we have already reached the 7 billion mark. However, not everyone can boast that they are able to change the course of history. On our planet, only a small percentage of such people are a kind of elite, people who have reached unprecedented heights and are “at the helm” of world development.
The authoritative publication Forbes constantly makes a selection of the most influential people on the planet. Participants are selected based on pivot table. Surprisingly, the selection conditions are very simple: applicants are compared based on the number of people they control and popularity.
The most influential people in the world for 2017, according to Forbes:
Mark Zuckerberg
The last place is occupied by Mark Zuckerberg. He is the youngest representative this rating. To the founder of Facebook Only 32 years old, but he has already reached unprecedented heights. He is also the youngest member of the TOP 10 richest people in the world.
Surprisingly, he is almost two times younger than his main competitors. This year, the billionaire has significantly improved his position and has confidently entered the top ten since the end of the top twenty.
On this moment his fortune is estimated at $59 billion. However, the young businessman does not suffer from star fever at all and leads a very modest life. He also donates significant amounts to charity.
Mark said that by the end of this year he wants to donate 3 billion dollars to a kind of charity - the structure that will receive investments is engaged in the eradication of all existing diseases on Earth.
Narenda Modi
The second to last is Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi. Every year turns out to be more and more successful for Modi. Its popularity among Indians is constantly growing.
It is noteworthy that even the harsh financial reform did not diminish his popularity. Painful changes were made as part of the fight against corrupt officials. In the fall of 2016, the prime minister issued an order that stated the cancellation of the two most nominal banknotes.
Larry Page
A well-known figure on the Internet, because Larry is one of the main developers of the best search engine Google systems. In 2016, the company was completely reorganized and Google is now a subsidiary of Alphabet. Larry was elected to the post of chairman of the board.
Bill Gates
Overtook Larry no less a famous person- Bill Gates. He is the creator of the world famous Windows company, which is a world leader in software development. The richest person in the world, with a fortune exceeding $80 billion.
Janet Yellen
The leading US economist, Janet Yellen, is almost in the middle of our top. Concurrently, she is also the head of the US Federal Reserve System. It keeps under control all activities of banking and other financial institutions.
It's funny, but she is extremely popular among ordinary Americans. This is ensured by her simple approach and ability to clearly express her thoughts in an accessible form.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis, the head of the Vatican, occupies fifth place in the ranking. He is also the oldest participant in the TOP, because he recently turned 80 years old.
It is worth noting that his advanced age does not at all prevent Francis from retaining a huge amount of vital energy and inspiring people on the right path. After all, it is he who directs a huge flock to perform various good deeds.
Xi Jinping
The fourth place is occupied by the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping. In 2012, he was elected to office and immediately began a flurry of activities within the country. He became famous for his fight against corruption. The population is extremely supportive of his activities due to the high degree of openness.
Angela Merkel
It is quite predictable that this year Angela Merkel entered the top three. He is a very unusual person, but at the same time remains a prominent figure in political life.
The German Chancellor, according to Forbes, can compete with Russia's influence in the West. The ambitious politician was able to relieve tension within the European Union and cope with the huge crowds of emigrants who poured into Germany.
Donald Trump
Donald Trump confidently takes second place. Surpassing his predecessor, Barack Obama, who fell to forty-eighth after third place, Trump confidently entered the top ten most influential people on the planet.
Let us remember that Trump was previously at the very bottom of the ratings, but his rapid rise secured him the presidency.
The ambitious politician who came to power with the slogan “Make America Great Again” immediately got to work.
Vladimir Putin
The first place in the ranking is occupied by Vladimir Putin. According to Forbes, he is the most powerful person in the world. Taking the first mark for the fourth time in a row, the politician proved that he is deservedly considered the most famous and popular person, whose influence on society simply cannot be denied.
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