The 10 Most Powerful Women in the World

Proving that perseverance eventually pays off, Ginni Rometty started out as a systems engineer at IBM in the '80s. She now serves as the Chairman, President and CEO of the company. Not too shabby!

When you're talking about influence, there are few bigger platforms than social media. As COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg is the first woman to serve on the company's board and previously worked with influential giants like Google and the United States Secretary of the Treasury.

Arguably making more public appearances than her husband, First Lady Michelle Obama is more than just the President's wife. The former corporate lawyer has degrees from Princeton and Harvard and has made her own headlines advocating for LGBT rights and fighting child obesity. 

In January, Mary Barra, added another first for women when she was appointed as the new CEO of General Motors. 

Move over, Bill! It's Hilary's turn to make some splashes in the world of American politics. Former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton comes in at number six. She has the world anxiously waiting to see what her next big move will be. 

Don't be fooled by that smile, Christine Lagarde has a tough job serving as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The first woman to hold this position, Langarde recently made headlines when she approved a $17 billion loan to the Ukraine to assist with growing tensions in the country. 

Coming in at number four, President Dilma Rousseff is the first woman to have ever held office in Brazil. Fearless in the face of what she believes in, Rousseff was jailed (and believed to be tortured) while fighting against the military dictatorship back in the '70s. She now controls the 7th largest economy in the world. 

More than just the wife of a billionaire, Melinda Gates is a philanthropic powerhouse. Since founding the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 1998, it's estimated that she has generated around $3.4 billion in giving and an impressive $26 billion in grant commitments. 

Another female first, Janet Yellen was appointed as Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve in February of 2014. According to Forbes, Yellen directly controls around 25% of the country's entire GDP.  

Taking the top spot is German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.  A force to be reckoned with, Merkel is Germany's first female Chancellor, the second woman to have ever served as the President of the European Council and, according to NPR, 'the decider' when it comes to dealing with the financial crisis in Europe.