Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi was included in the Financial Times' list of the most influential women for 2023, alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska. The list features 25 women active in human rights, economic fields, as well as stars in literature, acting, music, sports, science, and chemistry. The newspaper described the list members as individuals with influence, persuasive abilities, and calls for change who imagine better ways to perform tasks and duties.
Activist Narges Mohammadi was selected "for her role in the struggle for human rights, women's rights, and opposing the solitary confinement and extreme isolation imposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran." The newspaper noted that "Mohammadi is the second Iranian woman, after lawyer and writer Shirin Ebadi, to win the Nobel Prize. It is a strong message to the world."
The selection and preparation process took months, consulting with hundreds of journalists across dozens of offices, readers, and various leaders. The result is a list full of women who have received prestigious awards, but even the Nobel, Pulitzer, Grammy, and World Cup prizes fail to capture the multifaceted nature of their work.
The list includes Margot Robbie, described as one of the biggest stars in cinema, who runs one of the most renowned Hollywood companies. The Pulitzer-winning author Barbara Kingsolver and fashion designer and producer Phoebe Philo were also included.
Olena Zelenska, wife of the Ukrainian president, was named among the most influential women in 2023. The newspaper described Zelenska as, like her husband, a global symbol of resilience and the struggle for freedom, praising her work highlighting the suffering and deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia. The report stated, "The world must now listen to Zelenska and provide Ukraine with what it needs to defeat Russia and end the suffering."
Africa was represented on the list as well, with Nigerian writer and academic Lola Shoneyin recognized for her role in disseminating knowledge, especially through the Ake Arts and Book Festival, which she founded in 2013 to bring together writers from across the African continent for cultural and intellectual discussions.
Indian actress and singer Alia Bhatt also made the list, with the report citing her significant success in Bollywood, making one of her films the third highest-grossing in Indian history.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was included as well, with the newspaper noting her skillful and agile handling of the daily demands of leading the European Commission, breaking barriers as its first female president. The report highlighted her active role in the collective response to Russia's unjust war on Ukraine, from imposing strong sanctions on Russia to providing substantial European economic and security assistance to Ukraine, including her proposal for a new €50 billion facility for Ukraine.
The list also includes Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer at OpenAI, actress and union leader Fran Drescher, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, and economist and academic Janet Trunkel. Other notable members of the list include Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter, biotechnologist and entrepreneur Lisa Dyson, UPS Executive Carol Tomé, Japanese beverage and food company Centauri CEO Makiko Ono, and Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva.
Fashion designer and producer Marie Claire Davio secured a spot on the list alongside tennis star Coco Gauff, lawyer and UN employee Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Spanish football player Jenni Hermoso, and Taiwanese activist and former Democratic Progressive Party employee Chen Shing-Chu for her role in opposing harassment.
