Margarita Simonyan edges out Clinton in Forbes most powerful women list
Editor-in-Chief of Russian TV network and Russia Today news agency, Margarita Simonyan has for the first time been included on the prestigious Forbes list of the world’s most powerful women.
Ranking the 52nd, she is nearly a dozen spots higher than Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who landed the 65th spot, according to RIA Novosti.
“A year ago, most people had no idea who Margarita Simonyan was. Now, she's being discussed in tech, media and political circles as the outsized influence of her Russian TV network, RT, comes into focus,” Forbes wrote.
American intelligence agencies released a report alleging that RT attempted to “interfere with the U.S. elections”, however they failed to present any evidence.
Commenting on Forbes’ decision, Simonyan jokingly said that she would have preferred to appear in another Forbes rating, hinting probably at the world's richest people listing, RT reported.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel once again topped the list, followed by UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Bill Gates’ wife, Melinda Gates.