Forbes’ new list ignores European leaders

Leaders of emerging economies alongside the super-rich have been prioritised over European heads-of -state by a new ranking listing the most powerful people on the planet.

Forbes magazine’s inaugural list of the most powerful individuals obviously placed Barack Obama as the world most influential figure.

But the US President was followed by the President of China Hu Jintao and the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown came in 29th, fairing better than his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, who Forbes ranked a humbling 56th. The President of France didn’t even manage to beat Osama bin Laden, who came in 37th.

With these results, the selection criteria for the list are likely to generate some puzzlement.

The Forbes list, which has a total of 67 names, had only one more British entry in the name of BBC director-general Mark Thompson, who came in at 65.

The magazine is quite clear in its intentions as it is and always will be about money and money only.

It ranked the Mexican telecommunications tycoon Carlos Slim, the world’s third-wealthiest man, in sixth place.

In fourth place was the chairman of the US Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke, while multi billionaire and media mogul Rupert Murdoch came in seventh.

The magazine ranked Pope Benedict XVI in 11th eleventh position.

On a less serious note but still very acerbic, Forbes has ranked XFactor and American Idol judge Simon Cowell, the top earning man in prime-time American television with estimated annual earnings of $75 million.

The famous pop music guru came ahead of “The Apprentice” show host and property tycoon Donald Trump, who has earned $50 million in US TV and presenter on American Idol Ryan Seacrest, who reported $38 million in TV earnings.