Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley has achieved another international milestone with her inclusion in Forbes’ 2025 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women ranking, securing the 99th position among global leaders spanning politics, business, and philanthropy. The prestigious recognition underscores her growing influence on the world stage.
Forbes specifically highlighted Mottley’s climate advocacy, diplomatic prowess, and transformative leadership during Barbados’ constitutional evolution. Her profile details her historic 2018 election as Barbados’ first female prime minister and her subsequent emergence as a vocal climate activist, particularly referencing her impassioned 2021 United Nations General Assembly address demanding urgent environmental action.
The publication noted her 2021 designation as a United Nations Environment Programme ‘Champion of the Earth for Policy Leadership’ and her instrumental role in Barbados’ transition to a parliamentary republic that same year, which formally ended the British monarchy’s ceremonial governance.
Mottley joins an elite group of global power brokers including top-ranked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The Forbes ranking, now in its 22nd year, assesses candidates through four key metrics: financial resources, media presence, tangible impact, and spheres of influence. This year’s cohort represents 17 nations wielding approximately $37 trillion in economic power and influencing over one billion people worldwide.
Her political journey began decades earlier with her 1994 appointment as Minister of Education, Youth Affairs and Culture, establishing the foundation for her subsequent regional and international prominence. Forbes emphasized that Mottley’s consistent appearance on major global rankings solidifies her status as the Caribbean’s most visible political figure, renowned for her uncompromising stance on climate justice, economic reform, and global equity.