Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Ho Ching is ranked 33rd on Forbes' list of the world's most powerful women in 2021.

The ranking, released on Dec. 7, lists the top 100 women who "are rewriting the rules of business, finance and politics".

Only Singaporean on the list

Ho is listed as the Director of Temasek Trust, a role she took on after stepping down as CEO of Temasek Holdings on Oct. 1 this year.

She is also the only Singaporean on the list.

Ho helped Temasek's portfolio grow to "more than US$313 billion (S$427 billion)" when she was CEO, according to her profile on Forbes.

Forbes also noted that she is the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Her 33rd placing this year falls slightly behind her 30th placing she received in the 2020 ranking.

She has consistently made the list since 2004, according to The Straits Times.

At her peak, Ho was ranked third in 2007.

New number one spot

A noted absence from this year's list was German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has also consistently topped the list.

Merkel will be stepping down as Chancellor after more than 16 years at the post, reported AP News.

Instead, this year's number one spot went to billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who recently divorced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and donated a significant portion of her wealth away.

The highest ranking Asian woman was Taiwan's Tsai Ing-Wen, who came in ninth this year.

Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister, came in right behind Ho at 34th place.

Other notable women on the list include Oprah Winfrey (#23), Rihanna (#68), Queen Elizabeth II (#70) and Taylor Swift (#78).

Follow and listen to our podcast here

Top photo via Temasek/FB