WASHINGTON — Here’s another first for first lady Michelle Obama: first among Forbes magazine’s 100 most powerful women in the world.
In the annual rankings, released Wednesday, Forbes says Obama has been a “true change-maker” since coming to the White House.
The business publication cited her high approval ratings, her status as a role model and her campaign against childhood obesity. The first lady landed in 40th place on Forbes’ 2009 list.
Forbes said it decided to “look up and out into the broader culture” to compile the list of women from the arenas of politics, business, media and lifestyle.
Obama displaced German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had held the top spot for the past four years. This year, she was ranked fourth.
Also at the top of the list:
• Irene Rosenfeld, chief executive of Kraft Foods (No. 2)
• Media mogul Oprah Winfrey (No. 3)
• Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (No. 5)
• Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo (No. 6)
• Singer Lady Gaga (No. 7)
