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The World’s Most Extraordinary Women

Harvard100
is the global ranking of the changemaker women

Harvard100
to find leaders who are using their power and influence 
Someone has imposed their capital & someone has her life's valuable time 

Harvard100
to make the world a better place

harvard100 list has recognized the extraordinary women social activist/philanthropist who are transforming society and changing the world.

Every day, countless women across the globe dedicate their lives to selfless service, driving social reform and making profound impacts on their communities. Some contribute their time, others their resources, and all contribute their unwavering spirit. We acknowledge and salute these extraordinary women, both known and unknown, who form the very backbone of our society.

To honor these remarkable individuals, the Harvard100 list created. This initiative stands as a symbol of legendary women whose dedication and sacrifice inspire us all. After a rigorous selection process, where 9,650 shortlisted candidates were evaluated, the final Harvard100 list was compiled, guided by the insights of 100 Harvard alumni and followers from around the world.

Today, on International Women's Day 2025, we are thrilled to unveil the names of 25 exceptional women from this prestigious list. These individuals represent the very best of humanity, showcasing unwavering commitment, profound sacrifice, and relentless struggle in pursuit of a better world.

These Harvard100 Women of 2025 are not just names on a list; they are beacons of hope, exemplars of resilience, global champion and agents of change. We celebrate their tireless efforts and are honored to recognize their invaluable contributions. Their stories serve as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary impact women have on shaping our world, and we extend our deepest gratitude for their selfless service. Your legacy will inspire generations to come.

25/2025 EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN WHO Inspire  Us...

25. Joey Wat

China

Joey Chui Yung Wat is the chief executive officer of Yum China. She also was CEO of KFC China, managing director of A.S. Watson Group UK, and spent seven years in management consulting

24. Adenike Titilope Oladosu

Nigeria

Adenike Oladosu is a Nigerian climate activist, and initiator of the school strike for climate in Nigeria. She has showcased her climate action at international conferences including the UN Climate Change Conference, World Economic Forum, and Elevate festival in Graz-Austria.

23. Fatou Baldeh

Gambia

Fatou Baldeh MBE is a Gambian women's rights activist who campaigns to end female genital mutilation.

22. Shilshila Acharya

Nepal

Shilshila Acharya is a Nepalese environmental scientist who led successful campaigns to increase Nepal's plastic recycling. She has reduced her country's use of plastic bags and she has recovered refuse abandoned by visiting mountaineers.

21. Halla Tómasdóttir

Iceland

Halla Tómasdóttir is an Icelandic former businesswoman and politician serving as the seventh president of Iceland since 2024. She is Iceland's second female president, after Vigdís Finnbogadóttir. Halla was previously a public speaker.

20. Sri Mulyani Indrawati

Indonesia

Sri Mulyani Indrawati is an Indonesian economist who currently serves as the Minister of Finance of Indonesia as part of the Onward Indonesia Cabinet. She had served as Minister of Finance in two separate terms; under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono between 2005–2010 and under Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto since 2016.

19. Yuriko Koike

Japan

Yuriko Koike is a Japanese politician, who has served as the Governor of Tokyo since 2016. Previously, she was also served as a member of the House of Councillors from 1992 to 1993, a member of the House of Representatives from 1993 to 2016, Minister of the Environment under from 2003 to 2006, and Minister of Defense in between July and August 2007.

18. Nita Ambani

India

Nita Mukesh Ambani is an Indian philanthropist and businesswoman. She is the chairperson and founder of the Reliance Foundation, Dhirubhai Ambani International School and a director of Reliance Industries. She is married to Reliance Industries Limited's chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani.

17. Giorgia Meloni

Italy

Giorgia Meloni is an Italian politician who has been serving as the prime minister of Italy since October 2022, the first woman to hold this position.

16. Julia Gillard

UK

Julia Eileen Gillard is an Australian former politician who was the 27th prime minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013. She held office as the leader of the Labor Party and was the member of parliament for the Victorian division of Lalor from 1998 to 2013.

15. Solina Chau

Hong Kong

Solina Chau Hoi Shuen is a businesswoman in Hong Kong, a business partner in the Cheung Kong Group, and the director of the Li Ka Shing Foundation. She is also a major stockholder in Tom.com, a publication and advertising company in the People's Republic of China, and ChromaDex in the United States

14. Laurene Powell Jobs

US

Laurene Powell Jobs is an American billionaire businesswoman executive and philanthropist. She is the widow of Steve Jobs, who was the co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc., and she manages the Steve Jobs Trust. She is the founder and chairman of Emerson Collective and XQ Institute.

13. Susan Li

US

Susan Li is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Meta, formerly known as Facebook. She joined Meta in 2008 and became CFO in 2022. She was one of the youngest people to become CFO of a large public company.

12. Purnima Devi Barman

India

Purnima Devi Barman is a wildlife biologist from Assam, India. She is known for her conservation work with the greater adjutant stork, known locally as the Hargila. She is the founder of the Hargila Army, an all-female conservation initiative.

11. Raquel Willis

US

Raquel Willis is an activist, writer and media maven focusing on gender, race, LGBTQ issues, social justice and intersectionality.

10. Paetongtarn Shinawatra

Thailand

Paetongtarn Shinawatra RThBh is a Thai politician serving as the 31st prime minister of Thailand since 2024 and leader of the Pheu Thai Party since 2023.

09. MacKenzie Scott

US

MacKenzie Scott is an American novelist, philanthropist, and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. As of December 2024, she has a net worth of US$42.1 billion, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index; owning a 4% stake in Amazon.

08. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo

Mexico

Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is a Mexican politician, scientist, and academic who is serving as the 66th president of Mexico since 1 October 2024, the first woman to hold the office. She previously served as Head of Government of Mexico City from 2018 to 2023.

07. Chloé Zhao

UK

Chloé Zhao is a Chinese-born filmmaker. She is known primarily for her work on independent films. Songs My Brothers Taught Me, her debut feature film, premiered at Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and earned a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.

06. PV Sindhu

India

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu, popularly known as PV Sindhu, is an Indian badminton player. Considered as one of India's most successful athletes, Sindhu has won medals at tournaments such as the Olympic Games, the World Championships, and on the World Tour.

05. Zhiying (Tania) Zeng

Chile

Zhiying "Tania" Zeng is a Chinese-Chilean table tennis player. Born in China, she represents Chile internationally. She qualified to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Zeng was part of the Chinese team prior to moving to Chile.

04. Ursula von der Leyen

Germany

Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen is a German politician, serving since 2019, as the 13th president of the European Commission. She served in the German federal government between 2005 and 2019, holding positions in Angela Merkel's cabinet, most recently as Federal Minister of Defence.

03. Parvati Jangid

India

Parvati Jangid's activism has had a profound impact on society, particularly in the areas of women's empowerment, education, Indian defence forces and social reform. Her efforts have inspired significant changes. Parvati is the youngest woman in the world among the women included in the Harvard100 list.

02. Olivia Munn

US

Lisa Olivia Munn is an American actress. After an internship at a news station in Tulsa, she moved to Los Angeles where she began her professional career as a television host for the gaming network G4, primarily on the series Attack of the Show! from 2006 until 2010.

01. Melinda French Gates

US

Melinda French Gates is an American philanthropist and a former multimedia product developer and manager at Microsoft. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, she graduated from Duke University and started working at Microsoft in 1987.

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