Central Bank head Elvira Nabiullina has been named one of the world's most powerful women by U.S. magazine Forbes, making the financial leader the first female Russian representative to ever appear on the list.
Nabiullina, who upon her appointment as head of the Russian Central Bank last year became the Group of 8's first woman in the position, was ranked 72nd and was the only Russian on the Forbes list.
The rankings were topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and U.S. philanthropist Melinda Gates, three women that led a top 10 largely filled by U.S. businesswomen and politicians.
Nabiullina's ranking placed her between U.S. technology businesswomen Padmasree Warrior and fellow finance official Mary Jo White, chairman of the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission.
The Russian banker, the only prominent female in a sector dominated by men, has been given the difficult task of managing the ruble exchange rate during Ukraine's political crisis and facilitating growth for an economy trying to avoid a recession.
With one representative on the Forbes list, Russia scored lowest among the BRIC countries — Brazil and India each had three women ranked in the top 100 while China saw nine members of various professional fields recognized.
Last year's Forbes ranking of the 72 most powerful people on the planet, which included both men and women, had four Russians on it, including President Vladimir Putin at No. 1.
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