Meet the 13 billionaires who made the list of the Most Powerful Women in the World 2019

Real power lies in how they use their money and influence to make an impact

Money is power, isn’t it? In the case of Meg Whitman, who ranks 89th on the list of the Most Powerful Women in the World released today (12th) by FORBES, Sheryl Sandberg (18th) and Oprah Winfrey (20th), this statement is true, but the real power depends on how women use their influence to make an impact. Money doesn’t necessarily mean someone is powerful.

If so, there would be far more than just 13 billionaires on the 2019 100 Most Powerful Women list.

It’s what women do with their money that makes them powerful. Alice Walton, the heiress to the Walmart fortune and the richest woman at Walmart in the United States, for example, is not on the list.

Judith McKenna, CEO and president of Walmart International, which leads a network with more than 6,000 retail stores and 700,000 associates in 26 countries, appears in 21st position. That’s because FORBES takes into account what women are doing with their wealth and influence.

This year’s list includes 13 female billionaires who together have a net worth of $86.7 billion. Some lead S&P 500 companies like Safra Catz (14th) or founding companies like Judith Faulkner (72nd), Zhou Qunfei (68th) and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (67th).

Of the women who appear in the 2019 ranking, seven are classified by FORBES as self-made, that is, they built their fortunes on their own.

But regardless of whether they earn or inherit the money, they are all actively using their power to drive change through their businesses, nonprofits and philanthropic work. Sallie Krawcheck, co-founder and CEO of digital investment platform Ellevest, believes this trend will increase in 2020 and beyond.

“There is a tectonic shift in the landscape. Empowered women are advocating for, investing in, and supporting other women. This was not the case a generation ago,” says Sallie. They’re realizing that gender diversity isn’t moving fast enough, so they’re driving change.

“If we sit idly by, we’ll wait forever.” The list members’ net worth is as of Dec. 11, 2019. Melinda Gates, who appears at #6 in the overall ranking, was scrutinized for her work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Pivotal Ventures.

She is not considered a billionaire by FORBES because she is not a Microsoft founder.