Leaders, heroines, creatives. Twenty-five wonderful women who have left their mark, with their work or their commitment. Scrolling through the Financial Times ranking of the 25 most influential women in the world in 2022, including the Italian Frances Bellettini, we note prime ministers, CEOs, sportsmen, civil rights activists, philanthropists, musicians, Nobel prize-winning writers, together with a collective subject such as the women of Iran. All united by a red thread: having broken consolidated patterns, being the wind of change. And also fuel great expectations for the future.
Bellettini, thanks to her the “flight” of Yves Saint Laurent
The only Italian on the list is the CEO of Yves Saint Laurent, a brand of the Kering group which was founded by Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé. From Bocconi, with a career that began in the world of finance and continued at the top of fashion, Francesca Bellettini has succeeded in the feat of flying Saint Laurent up to 5 billion in expected revenues in the medium term. «It is the quietest people who should really be paid attention to», Jo Ellison, editor of How To Spend it, begins in the motivation. Saint Laurent achieved an exceptional third quarter, with a turnover of 916 million euros, up 40%, and it did so «without a murmur».
Balance as an obsession
«Ask her what is the secret to successful leadership and she will tell you that she is obsessed with balance: in global markets, between categories or in relationships between men and women», notes Ellison, inviting you to keep an eye on «the Italian unpretentious» entered the group in 2013, because «it could make an important move». Sibylline allusion to the indiscretion according to which Bellettini could land at Gucci (where she has already been), after the takeover of Marco Bizzarri following the farewell of the creative director Alessandro Michele.
In the list the premiers Marin and Mottley
Among the other leaders “crowned” by the Financial Times together with Bellettini are two other CEOs: Jane Fraser of Citigroup e Karen Lynch by CVS Health. But there are also jurists such as the Ukrainian lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuklahead of the civil rights organization “Center for civil liberties” awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first black justice of the US Supreme Court in its more than 230-year history. In the same category the prime ministers of Finland, Sanna Marinand Barbados, Mia Mottleythe vice president of Colombia France Elena Marquez Minathe Pakistani Minister of Climate Change, Sherry Rehman. All on the front line for the defense of democracy and the protection of the environment.
The heroines, between sport and uncomfortable truths
In the “heroes” category there are sporting excellences such as the tennis player Serena Williamse Sarah Wiegman, coach of the England women’s soccer team. Visionary managers like Welsh Amanda Blanc, CEO of Aviva. “Tellers of uncomfortable truths”, those who dared to pierce the veil of silence, such as Jamie Fiore Higginsa former Goldman Sachs senior banker who exposed Wall Street racism and sexism in the “Bully Market” memoir, and Rina Gonoi, the former soldier who exposed sexual abuse in the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Heroines too Rebecca Gompertsa doctor who fought for the right to safe abortion, Paula KahumbuKenyan wildlife activist, e MacKenzie Scott, the philanthropist ex-wife of Jeff Bezos who has given more than $12 billion to over 1,200 organizations large and small since 2019. She is determined to support the causes she believes in: gender equality, reproductive rights, racial justice.