SINGAPORE — DBS chief executive Tan Su Shan has debuted at No. 29 on Forbes’ latest list of the world’s 100 most powerful women, released on December 10, marking her as a fresh entrant among global leaders. Temasek Trust chairwoman Ho Ching secured the 34th spot, down slightly from No. 32 last year, while Granite Asia’s senior managing partner Jenny Lee rounds out Singapore’s trio at No. 96.
Tan Su Shan took the helm at Southeast Asia’s largest bank by assets in March 2025, building on her 2010 start where she bolstered wealth management and later led consumer and institutional banking. Ho Ching transitioned to Temasek Trust in 2022 after helming Temasek Holdings for nearly two decades, overseeing its philanthropic efforts. Lee’s venture portfolio boasts 21 unicorns, including Xiaomi, Kingsoft, and eHang, with 18 successful listings.
Forbes ranked entrants using metrics of money, media, impact, and influence, noting 44% are CEOs, the highest in five years and 10 are founders. Asia-Pacific standouts include Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at No. 3, alongside JD.com’s Sandy Ran Xu at 32 and ByteDance’s Julie Gao at 47.Ursula von der Leyen holds the top spot, with Christine Lagarde at No. 2 and Giorgia Meloni at No. 4. The list features 13 billionaires worth $180.5 billion collectively, up from 2024, including MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift, and AMD’s Lisa Su.