Influencecomesinmanyforms.Themagazine’sWomenoftheYearissuereaffirmsthiseveryDecemberbyexploringachievementacrosscultures,industriesandartistries.For2022,weagaincommissionedentriesbysomeoftheworld’smostpowerfulwomen.Butwealsosoughtcontributorswhocouldspeaktotheirsubject’sinfluenceindiverse,evenunexpecteddimensions.
WeputtogetherthislistincollaborationwithFTjournalistsfromdozensofinternationalbureaux,formerwomenoftheyearandreaderslikeyou.Itisacelebration,ofcourse,butalsoawayofinterrogatingthewaysinwhichpowerandinfluencearechanging.
WhatMarinaAbramoviwritesofseeingAnneImhof’sperformanceart–“Ihadjustwitnessedsomethingimportant”–couldeasilyapplytowatchingeveryoneofthe2022WomenoftheYearlead,work,imagineandcreate.
RoulaKhalaf,editoroftheFinancialTimes
Thisisanunrankedlist.
BYOLIAHERCULES
WhenRussiainvadedUkraineonFebruary24,myparents,wholiveinKakhovka,immediatelywentintothestreets.Theyweretwoofmanymillions.Insteadofflower-bearinglocals,Russiafacedastrong,freedom-lovingnationthatrefusedtosurrender.Inresponse,Russiantroopshavewroughtcruelphysicalandpsychologicalwarfare:bombings,rape,torture,deportations.OleksandraMatviichuk,a39-year-oldlawyerandhumanrightsactivist,hasdoggedlygatheredevidenceofwarcrimesinUkrainethroughtheCenterforCivilLiberties,whichsheleads.
OliaHerculesisaUkrainianchefandwriterbasedinLondon.Herlatestbookis‘HomeFood’
Butsheismorethanasymbol.Sheisabrilliantlegalmindwhousesthelawtoelevatetheexperiencesofmarginalisedpeople,givingusrenewedhopeinaninstitutionstackedagainstus.AsabiracialBlackwomanwhohadanabortion,IhavelittleconfidenceintheSupremeCourt’sinterestinprotectingmyconstitutionalrights–I’mnotalone,asconfidenceinthecourtisatahistoriclow–butwiththeadditionofJusticeBrownJackson,mywishisthatourvoiceswillbeheardandourstoriesreflectedindecisions.ItmeansagreatdealtohaveaSupremeCourtjusticewhoknowswhatit’sliketowalkthroughtheworldjustlikeus.JusticeBrownJacksonralliestheambitiousandencouragesallofustocontinueorganisingforliberationoutsideofthejudicialsystem.
ReneeBraceyShermanisthefounderandexecutivedirectorofWeTestify,anorganisationdedicatedtotheleadershipandrepresentationofpeoplewhohaveabortions
BYJOELLISON
JoEllisoniseditorofHTSI
BYLAURANOONAN
JaneFraserdidn’tjustbreakthroughWallStreet’sglassceilingwhenshebecamechiefexecutiveofoneoftheworld’sbiggestbanks,sheblazedthroughitinablastofcolour.Sincetakingthetopjobin2021,Fraserhascontinuedtowearpinksuitsandfloraldressesandespousetheleadershipstylethatlongmarkedheroutamongapeergroupofwomentryingtoemulatetheirmalerivalsinoneoftheoldestboys’clubs.
LauraNoonanistheFT’sfinancialregulationeditor
BYMARYSCHAPIRO
ThepersonredefininghealthcareinAmericaisn’tadoctorbutawomanwhohasnavigatedthesystemasapatient,caregiverandCEO.InFebruary2021,amidstanunprecedentedpandemic,KarenLynchbecameCEOofthelargestUShealthcarecompany,CVS.Asthepandemicexposedcriticalgaps,shemadehealthcarefarmoreaccessibleandconvenient,drivenbyherbeliefthatwemustrethinkthewaywedeliveritbyplacingpatientsatthecentreandtreatingthewholepatient,headtotoe.
ThankstoKaren’sleadership,CVShasbecomeoneofthemosttrustedresourcesforcare,administeringaround80millionCovid-19vaccines,supportingover2.8millionpatientvisitsviatheCVSwalk-inserviceMinuteClinicandcommittingtomentalhealth.Iamhonouredtoworkwiththisdetermined,empatheticandvisionaryleaderwhoistransforminghealthcareacrossourcommunities.
MarySchapiroisvice-chairforGlobalPublicPolicyatBloombergandaCVSboardmember
BYLAURABATES
LauraBatesisthefounderoftheEverydaySexismProject.Herlatestbookis“FixTheSystem,NotTheWomen”
BYMARINASILVA
Lawyer,environmentalist,vice-president,FranciarepresentsallthepeoplewhohavebeensilencedduringthefivecenturiesinwhichthehistoryoftheAmericaswaswrittenwithblackandindigenousblood.Herpresenceonthepoliticalstagetellstheworldthatweexist,bothasadenunciationoftheslaverythathasmarkedusandastheseedofourhopeforabundantlifeonearth.Hervoiceannouncesafuturedreamtbyourancestors,wherewecanall,withdignity,tastethebestflavoursoflife.
MarinaSilvaisaBraziliancongresswoman-electandformerenvironmentminister
BYSHARMAINELOVEGROVE
Herabilitytospeaktruthtopowerisalsoapparentathome,wheresheoversawthebirthofBarbadosasarepublic,leavingitscolonialpastbehind.Mottleyexpectsthistermaspremiertobeherlast;whatevershedoesnext,theworldisluckytohaveher.
SharmaineLovegroveismanagingdirectorofDialogueBooksandaHachetteboardmember
BYNICOLASTURGEON
NicolaSturgeonisfirstministerofScotland
BYTOYINOJIHODUTOLA
SomethingIrealisedisthatsheisverykind,veryfunnyandveryprivate.SoIdidn’twanttorevealanythingthatwasunnecessary;therehadtobeaspacewithintheportraitjustforher,notforanyofus,notevenformeastheartist.Shehasanincrediblesmileandsenseofhumour:Isawajoytherethattranscendedalloftheprojections.
Igrewupwitnessingherexcellenceandmagnificencefromafar.TheWilliamssisters’presencewassoprofound.Grandslamwinaftergrandslam,we’dneverseenanythinglikethat!Whattheyrepresentedforme,andIthinkforalotofpeople,wasbeauty.Onthecourtandoff,whenyouseethemcarrythemselveswithsuchgrace,itleavesanindelibleimpression.
ToyinOjihOdutolaisanartist
BYANNCAIRNS
Amandaisalsoacommittedsupporterofthe30%Club,thecampaignIserveasglobalchairthatcallsonCEOsandchairsoftheworld’sbiggestcompaniestoboostfemalerepresentationinseniorleadership.AsoneofjustahandfuloffemaleCEOsintheFTSE100,Amandarecentlycalledforgenderequalitytargetstobeincludedinthefinancialsystem’sclimatechangecommitments,askingforurgentactionatCOP27.
Amanda’salwaysthinkingaboutotherpeople,andIreallylikethatabouther.She’sfromWalesandIgetasensetheWelshareproudofwhotheyare.Amandahasmuchtobeproudof.
AnnCairnsistheexecutivevice-chairofMastercardandglobalchairofthe30%Club
BYGILLIANTETT
FioreHiggins,whohasfourchildren,wastoldnottotalkaboutthematwork;thatshewas“toomotherly”.Onecolleaguetoldhershe’donlybeenpromotedbecauseshewasawoman.Othersmooedatheraftershepumpedbreastmilkforherbabyandleftatoycowonherdesk–thisaftershe’dbeenadvisednottopumpatwork.Whenshereceivedabonusthatfinallygaveherthefinancialfreedomshehadbeenwaitingfor,shequit.
Goldmanofficialshavedisputedheraccount,butifFioreHiggins’bookspursthemtoraisestandards,shewillhavedoneWallStreet–andfuturefemalebankers–agreatservice.
GillianTettisanFTWeekendMagazinecolumnistandtheFT’sUSeditor-at-large
BYLYZLENZ
RebeccaGompertsknowssomethingthathastakentherestofustoolongtounderstand:wedon’tsaveourlivesbybegging,pleading,debatingormarchinginthestreetswithsigns.Wesaveourlivesbyfightingwithabsolutelyeverythingwehave.AfterthereversaloftheUSSupremeCourtrulingensuringtherighttoanabortion,Gomperts’telemedicineserviceAidAccessisofferingwomenthebasichealthcarebeingdeniedtheminstateslikeTexasbyprovidingmedicalabortionpillsbymail.
Evenbeforethat,theDutchdoctorhasbeenfightingforyearsforabasichumanright–therightforwomentochoosethetrajectoryoftheirlives.Shehasusedeverythingfromdronestoboatsandthemailtoofferwomenaccesstoasafeabortion.Throughherwork,Gompertsisnotonlysavinglives,butisprovidinguswithamodelforhowtostanduptoinjustice.Shedoesnotequivocateorcompromise.Sheisablueprintforhowtofiercelyfightforourlives.
LyzLenzistheauthorof“Belabored:AVindicationoftheRightsofPregnantWomen”
BYKANAINAGAKI
Inacountrywheremanywomensuffersexualharassmentinsilence,RinaGonoimadeadifferentchoice.Withcourageandstoicdetermination,the23-year-oldlaunchedapubliccampaignthissummer,demandingtruthandaformalapologyfromJapan’smilitaryaftershewassexuallyassaultedbydrunkenmaleofficersduringtraininglastyear.Afterfacingmonthsofstonewalling,evasionandanonymousthreats,theGroundSelf-DefenceForcesacknowledgedinSeptemberthatRina’sallegationswereaccurate,andfourmaleofficersapologisedtoherinperson.
Sadly,Rina’scaseisonlythetipoftheiceberg,andcomplaintsbroughtforwardsincethensuggestthatgroping,unwantedkissingandotheractsofsexualharassmentarerampantinanenvironmentwherefemalemilitaryofficersarestillatinyminority.
Rinasaysitdoesn’thavetobethisway.Attheageof11,shewasinspiredwhenshewasrescuedbyafemaleSDFofficerfollowingthe2011Tohokuearthquakeandtsunami.Herdreamjobwasquicklyshatteredbytherealityshefacedandshewillnotrejointhemilitary,butsheishopingthathercampaignwillimproveworkingconditionsforfuturegenerationsoffemaleofficers.Tothem,shesays:“You’renotalone.IfeltverylonelyaswellbuttheonlythingIcoulddowasbelieveinmyself.”
KanaInagakiistheFT’sTokyobureauchief
BYCHRISTIANEAMANPOUR
TheheadscarfisnotafundamentalpillarofIslam.Whenitisforcedonwomen,it’sacontrolmechanism,whetherusedbytheTalibaninAfghanistan,bythereligiousleadersofIranoracrosstheArabworld.Amini’sarrestanddeathsymbolisedthegovernmentinvadingandassaultingawoman’spersonalspace.Indemandingfreedom,protestersandjournalistshavebeenarrested,putinsolitaryconfinementandundergoneinterrogation.Theauthoritieshaveopenedfireonthestreets,killinguntoldnumbers.Humanrightsorganisationsreportbeatingsandtorture.Shamtrialsandexecutionsarethreatened.
Oneneverknowswhereuprisingswillleadinanauthoritarianstate.ButtheIranianNobellaureateShirinEbaditoldmethatdemocracywillcometoIranthroughthegatesthatthesewomenhaveopened.Theonlyquestioniswhen.
ChristianeAmanpourischiefinternationalanchoratCNNandPBS,andhascoveredIranfordecades
BYAMINAMOHAMED
PaulaKahumbuhasbeenavoiceforconservationforalongtimeandhasdonetransformationalwork.Her“HandsOffOurElephants”campaigndrewattentiontothethreatoftheirextinctioninKenyaandconvincedpeopleacrossaverybroadspectrum,includingatthehighestpoliticallevels,tosupportconservation.Herefforts,togetherwithothers’,havehadadirectimpactontheincreaseinthenumberofelephantsinourcountry:thepopulationhasdoubledsincethelate1980s.Paula’sadvocacyhascreatedmoreawarenessintheglobalcommunityoftheresponsibilitythatweallhavefortheconservationofwildlifeandparticularlyelephants.Shebelievestheydon’tbelongtoanyindividualcountry,butthatweholdthemintrustforhumanityandforthefuture.
Paulahastheabilitytolookatconservationissuesasawhole,identifythepriorities–wherethedangersarereal,whereextinctionisarealpossibility–andaddressthem.Manypeoplearecapableofdoingtheadvocacy.Sheisuniqueinraisingissuesandprovidingpossiblesolutionstoo.She’saseriousthinkerandapragmaticperson.Sheisalsoapioneerwhochoseafieldthatisnotcomfortableformanywomen.IhavealotofrespectandadmirationforPaula.
AminaMohamedisaformerKenyancabinetsecretaryandambassadortotheUN
BYABIGAILEDISNEY
Withblisteringspeed,shehasgivenawaymoneyanyoneelsewouldneedlifetimesandstaffsofthousandstodistribute,overfouryearsandcounting.Intheprocess,Scotthasusedherwritingtoadvanceavisionofsocietythatdemandsbetterofusall.Heressayannouncingherfirstsetofgiftswasmomentousformepersonally,andIhopeforanyoneregardlessofthewealththeyhold.Init,sheacknowledgedthatwealthaccumulationisnotanindividualbutacollectiveaccomplishment,andthatpower,therefore,shouldnotaccrueonlytothosewhobenefitfromit.
AbigailEDisneyisanEmmy-winningdocumentaryfilm-maker,activistandphilanthropist
BYBETHMEAD
SarinaWiegmantoldusthatwehadmadehersquadfortheEuropeanchampionshipsthissummerbygivingusagoldenticketthatread:“Congratulations!You’regoingtotheEuros!”Itwasagoldenticketforagoldensummerwithanincrediblehumanandanincrediblewoman.
BethMeadisastrikerforArsenalandEngland.ShewastopscoreratEuro22andvotedplayerofthetournament
BYJAMIELEECURTIS
JamieLeeCurtisisanactor,producer,children’sauthorandactivistwhoco-starredwithYeohin“EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce”
BYELIFSHAFAK
Inherpowerfulnewcollectionofessays,BlackandFemale,shesays,“Iamanexistentialrefugee.IhavebeeninflightsinceIleftthewomb.”Sheisalsoafighter.Withherwordssheturnspainintoresilience,angerintopowerandinjusticeintoafightfordignity,equalityandfreedom.ComingfromTurkey,thisstruggleresonateswithme.Zimbabweshouldbeproudofhavingawriterlikeher.
ElifShafakisanovelist
BYSINéADGLEESON
SinéadGleesonisawriterandtheeditorof“ThisWoman’sWork:EssaysonMusic”
BYHORATIAHARROD
Readingherreaffirmsthattheeventsofourlives,whichinthelivingofthemmaynotfeelparticularlysignificant,dohaveweight.Ourmemoriesandexperiencesareallwehave,andweshouldvaluethem.
HoratiaHarrodisasenioreditoratFTWeekendandaformerBookerPrizejudge
BYMARINAABRAMOVI
InImhof’sliveperformances,shemostlyturnstodanceratherthantheperformance-artcommunity.Beautiful,fitbodieswithstrong,charismaticidentitiesareherpreference.Ialwaysfeelthepresenceofmodernityinherworkanditattractsaveryyoungaudience.
TheStedelijkwasthefirsttimeI’dseenherworkwithoutliveelements.Thisimagestayswithme:snow,communistbuildingsemptyoflifeandthefaceofImhof’scollaboratorandlife-partnerElizaDouglassmiling,arrivinghalf-nakedonahorsethendisappearingagain,onlyhererectnipplesindicatinghowcolditwas.
IleftfeelingIhadjustwitnessedsomethingimportant–somethingthat’shappeningrightnowwiththehumansinthisworld.Iwasalsoleftwithastrongfeelingofbeauty,sadness,melancholyandloss.
MarinaAbramoviisaperformanceartist
BYYOMIADEGOKE
MeghanMarklehasbecomeasymbolofresilienceformanysilencedwomen.Specificallyspeaking,forwomenofcolourand,evenmorespecifically,mixed-raceandblackwomen.Herexperiencewithintheroyalfamilyresonatedwiththosewhohavehadtonavigatehistoricallywhite,elitistinstitutionsthatare,atbest,notbuiltwiththeminmindand,atworst,outwardlyhostile.
YomiAdegokeistheauthorofbooksincludingtheforthcoming“TheList”
BYROSALIECHIANG
WhenIfirstsawthesynopsisofTurningRedIwasshocked,becauseitdidn’tfeellikeanyotherPixarmovieI’dseen.ThecharacterIplay,MeilinLee,isa13-year-oldAsian-CanadiangirlgrowingupinTorontointheearly2000s.Thestoryisessentiallywriter-directorDomeeShi’schildhood–withtheadditionofagiantredpanda.Domeeissuchagutsy,braveperson.ShestartedatPixarasaninternin2011,andby2018she’ddirectedashort,Bao,whichwonanOscar.WithTurningRedshe’smadeafilmthatexploreswhatit’sliketogothroughperiodsandpuberty–subjectsthatothersaretooscaredtoeventalkabout.
WorkingwithDomeeforfouryearswasanhonour.NotonlyisshethefirstwomantodirectaPixarmovie,she’smadeafilmthatlooksandfeelsreallydifferentfromthosethathavegonebefore.Ratherthanthesmooth,flowyfeelofmostCGIfilms,TurningRedhasachoppier,fresherfeel.AsDomeetoldaninterviewer,shewas“raisedwithonefootinbotheasternandwesternartandculture”–andthatreallyshinesthrough.Thefactthatit’saboutanAsian-Canadiangirl,directedbyanAsian-Canadianwoman,issogreat.Sinceitcameout,I’vehadmanyAsianAmericansandAsianCanadianscomeupandsay,“Thankyou,thishasneverbeendonebefore,Ifeelsorepresented.”ThefactthatDomeehasachievedthatisamazing.
RosalieChiangisanactorwhoplayedtheleadin“TurningRed”
ThisspecialeditionwaseditedbyEstherBintliff,GriseldaMurrayBrownandCherishRufus,anddesignedbyShannonGibson,withphotographydirectionbyEmmaBowkett
AselectionofFTreaders’choiceswillbepublishedat5amonDecember2.WhoelseshouldhavemadeourlistShareyourthoughtsbelow