Who are Forbes' 10 most powerful women?

Every year, Forbes releases a list of the world’s most powerful woman, influential in everything from politics to technology to culture.

9. Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters/File
IMF managing director Christine Lagarde holds a news briefing at the International Monetary Fund headquarters in Washington, D.C., in this July 6 file photo.

Ms. Lagarde, appointed the IMF managing director in June, is the first woman to hold the position, typically held by a European male. She’ll be presiding over the IMF at a challenging time – the organization has had to bail out numerous countries in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and may have to do so again. Lagarde also will have to figure out how to strike a balance between the Western European countries accustomed to dominating the IMF and the rising economies of South America and Asia.

Lagarde’s position on the Forbes list has skyrocketed with her appointment to IMF head – in 2010, she was No. 43.

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