Mia Mottley Makes Forbes Top 100
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has been named No. 99 on Forbes’ 2025 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list, recognised for her climate advocacy, diplomatic leadership and role in Barbados’ constitutional transition. Forbes evaluated nominees across money, media, impact and spheres of influence and this year’s list spans 100 women from 17 countries.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados has been included on Forbes’ 2025 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list, appearing at No. 99 among political, business and philanthropic leaders worldwide. Forbes highlighted Mottley’s forceful advocacy on climate change, her diplomatic leadership and her role in Barbados’ shift to a parliamentary republic.
The magazine’s 22nd annual ranking assesses women across four metrics — money, media, impact and spheres of influence — and this year’s roster of 100 women from 17 countries collectively command an estimated $37 trillion in economic power and influence the lives of more than a billion people.
According to Forbes’ profile, Mottley “was elected as Barbados’ prime minister in 2018. When she was sworn in, she became the first woman to hold the role.” The profile also notes her rise as a global voice on climate, referencing her 2021 address to the United Nations General Assembly where she delivered an impassioned speech calling for urgent action.
In 2018 the United Nations Environment Programme named her a “Champion of the Earth for Policy Leadership,” Forbes adds. Mottley’s inclusion on the list underscores the international attention given to leaders from small island states who press major emitters and international institutions for faster climate action and support.
Her prominence on the world stage is closely watched across the Caribbean, where rising seas and stronger storms are persistent threats to communities, infrastructure and tourism-based economies. The Forbes profile also emphasises Mottley’s domestic milestone: in November 2021 Barbados officially became a parliamentary republic and removed the Queen of England as head of state under her leadership.
That constitutional change remains of interest to territories in the region, including the British Virgin Islands, where conversations about governance and ties to the United Kingdom continue to surface from time to time. For residents of the BVI, Mottley’s recognition is a reminder that Caribbean leaders can shape global debates on climate, development and governance.
Her voice on those issues — amplified by her Forbes listing — may influence regional diplomacy and efforts to secure international support for resilience and recovery initiatives that matter to island communities.
Primary source: Guavaberry