- Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
A smiling Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller gives a keen ear to Chilean President Dr. Michelle Bachelet during her one-day working visit to Jamaica in June. Both women are featured in 'Forbes' magazine's 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.

FORBES Magazine has named Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller as one of its 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.

The latest edition of the influential business publication placed the Jamaican leader at 89 on its list which is topped by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. Mrs. Simpson Miller is reportedly the first woman from the English-speaking Caribbean to make the annual list which comprises women from various sectors including politics, entertainment and corporate.

The Jamaican Prime Minister, who assumed office in March, is one of five persons elected to lead their country in the past 12 months and has made the Forbes list. The others are Mrs. Merkel, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet (17), Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (51) and South Korean Prime Minister Han Myung-sook who ranked 68th.

Economic impact

Forbes said it based its selections, among other factors, on economic impact.

Other political figures on the list are Prime Minister Helen Clark of New Zealand (20th), British Secretary of State Marjorie Beckett (29th) and Tzipora Livni (40th), Israel's Foreign Affairs Minister who is also that country's deputy Prime Minister.

Some noted names on the 100 Most Powerful Women list are American media personality, Oprah Winfrey, American Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, philantropist Melinda Gates, American senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton and journalists Katie Couric and Christiane Amanpour.