Latest news with #2025InfluenceList
The Independent
07-03-2025
- The Independent
Gisèle Pelicot tells sexual violence survivors ‘you will never be alone' in International Women's Day message
Gisèle Pelicot has told sexual violence survivors they 'will never be alone' in a powerful message marking International Women's Day. The extraordinary French grandmother dedicated being chosen as The Independent 's most influential woman of 2025 to survivors who ' are the true heroes ' in moving personal words shared by her lawyer. Stéphane Babonneau said his client – a global hero and worldwide symbol in the struggle against sexual violence – was emotional and humbled when she found out she had been named as number one on the list. She later told him she is 'honoured' and passed on her gratitude. The 72-year-old highlighted the victims who are still battling for justice, and especially those who are doing so alone and 'in the dark', whom he said she deeply admires. In her personal message conveyed to Mr Babonneau for The Independent, Ms Pelicot said: 'Gisèle is honoured and wishes to dedicate this recognition to all victims, and more specifically to those who are fighting alone to get their rights and the truth acknowledged by courts. To these victims, who most often remain in the dark, Gisèle wishes to express her admiration because she thinks they are the true heroes and tell [them] that they must know they will never be alone.' He added: 'Gisèle and the legal team wishes to thank The Independent.' The courageous and dignified Ms Pelicot has become an icon across the globe, especially to sexual violence survivors, after she waived her anonymity in the horrific mass rape case of her ex-husband and 50 other men and changed the way the world treats victims forever. The public nature of the trial – in which all of the men were convicted of monstrous sexual abuse over the course of a decade after her ex had drugged her – shone a light on the shocking prevalence of rape culture, sparking a worldwide movement calling for an immediate end to it. Ms Pelicot faced her abusers in the courtroom in Avignon, France, every day of the harrowing three-month trial, symbolising her message that would become the slogan of the case - that it is the perpetrators, never the victims, who should feel shame for sexual crimes. Ms Pelicot consequently topped The Independent 's 2025 Influence List, which has been released for a third year running to mark International Women's Day. She is joined by 50 exceptional women from across the worlds of politics, sports, the arts, media, business, fashion and activism – all are united by their extraordinary impact on society, as they push boundaries and break down barriers to shape the world around them.
The Independent
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Independent Women 2025
Trailblazers, changemakers and inspirations are just a few of the words that describe the 50 exceptional women celebrated in The Independent's 2025 Influence List, marking International Women's Day for a third year running. Excelling across the vastly varied fields of politics, sports, the arts, media, business, fashion and activism – all are united by their extraordinary impact on society, as they push boundaries and break down barriers to shape the world around them. In what has become an annual moment on 8 March, for a third year, the list compiled by The Independent 's staff shines a spotlight on the 50 most influential women shaping British society today. Its release this year is evermore significant, coming at a time when women's rights are under threat around the globe, with IWD 2025 focused on drawing attention to the shocking reality that gender equality will not be reached until 2158 at the current rate of progress. The 50 impressive women fully embody the IWD 2025 theme of 'Accelerate Action' – a call for the fight to end gender inequality to increase in momentum and urgency, in every sphere of life. The Independent is calling for transformative change that must happen now, and the Influence List aims to champion this message by recognising women's achievements, amplifying women's voices, inspiring future talent, and improving women's lives. Topping the list this year, therefore, is the remarkable Gisèle Pelicot, who has become a symbol of the struggle against sexual violence. She changed society forever when she decided the horrific mass rape trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men would be held in public because 'it's not for us to have shame – it's for them'. Ms Pelicot is joined in the top 10 by the UK's first woman chancellor Rachel Reeves, Olympic gold medal winner Keely Hodgkinson, and Charli XCX, the pioneering pop artist who dominated this year's Brit Awards with four out of five wins. Other stars on the list include athlete Imane Khelif, who remained dignified and defiant in the boxing ring even as her historic gold medal at the Paris Olympics was overshadowed by a gender row, actor Cynthia Erivo, one of only a very few to be nominated for an EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award), and Tasha Ghouri, who first won fans as the first ever deaf contestant to appear on ITV's Love Island. The Independent has made the deliberate decision to not exclude women whom readers may disagree with or disapprove of. Influence does not mean adulation – in fact, some of the most influential figures of history are difficult and controversial, to say the least. Striking portraits of 12 of the women will be on display at Outernet in central London for the rest of March, raising awareness of the work of The Independent 's charity partner Refuge, the UK's largest domestic abuse charity, with hundreds of thousands expected to view the exhibition. We hope you enjoy reading about the phenomenal achievements of all these 50 powerful women. 1. Gisèle Pelicot It was the most horrific of circumstances that forced Gisèle Pelicot into making a decision that would change the world and turn her into an icon across the globe. In a brave and groundbreaking move, the unassuming 72-year-old waived her anonymity in last year's trial of her now ex-husband and 50 other men who all raped or sexually assaulted her after she had been drugged. 'Shame must change sides,' she said in a statement that would become the slogan of her case, sparking a global conversation on rape culture as seismic as the #MeToo movement. Every day of the gruelling three-month trial, the French grandmother sat across from her abusers in the courtroom in Avignon – the epitome of dignity, courage and strength as she embodied her powerful message that it is the perpetrators, not the victims, who should feel shame for sexual crimes. She has since become a global symbol of the struggle against sexual violence and has changed the way the world treats survivors. It is this achievement that means Ms Pelicot tops The Independent 's list of the most influential women of 2025. Her lawyer Stéphane Babonneau told The Independent she is 'honoured' to have been chosen as the most influential woman of the year. 2. Kate, Princess of Wales How the Princess of Wales has dealt with her treatment for cancer over the last year has shown what a vital role she plays in the royal family. Her initial withdrawal from much of public life and subsequent return to formal duties has secured her place in the public's affection. In June she made her first appearance of the year at Trooping the Colour and has since increased her public workload with charity and early-years work her main focus. Three months later, Kate released a moving personal video in which she disclosed that she was now free of cancer, marking a notable shift away from the more detached approach the firm has leant towards in the past. In October, the princess made a surprise visit to Southport to meet the bereaved families of the horrific mass stabbings in which three young girls died. It marked her first joint official outing with her husband the Prince of Wales since her course of chemotherapy ended in the summer. Coming at the end of a year in which the royal family faced a number of health scares, Kate's 2024 Christmas carol service was especially poignant, as she encouraged people to "turn to love, not fear". Last month, her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood published the Shaping Us Framework – an ambitious campaign described as her 'life's work' that is aimed at raising the profile of the crucial period of a child's development from pregnancy to the age of five. 3. Rachel Reeves Rachel Reeves made history when she became the UK's first female chancellor after Labour's landslide general election win last year – and so takes third place on the influence list this year having previously featured in the top 10. Addressing parliament as she delivered her first Budget in October, she said in a powerful message: 'This is the first Budget in this country's history to be delivered by a woman. I am deeply proud. Girls and young women everywhere, I say, let there be no ceiling on your ambitions, your hopes and your dreams.' Taking office at a time of economic and geopolitical crisis, she has faced criticism for some of the early decisions of her tenure, including cutting winter fuel allowance. She has had to navigate the tightrope between the demands of business leaders and working people. She has also pledged to use her position to improve life for women across Britain, including tackling the gender pay gap, strengthening rights at work, and investing in childcare as part of her push for equal opportunities. 4. Kemi Badenoch Kemi Badenoch smashed another glass ceiling in British politics last year when she became the first Black leader of a major UK political party, earning her an obvious fourth place on the list. Although Badenoch says such an achievement should be seen as unremarkable, she represents another first for the Conservatives who have seen the first ethnic minority leader (Benjamin Disraeli), first woman (Margaret Thatcher) and first leader of Asian heritage (Rishi Sunak). The leader of the opposition, however, faces an uphill task to rebuild her party after a record defeat in the 2024 election leaving them with just 121 MPs. The 45-year-old is trying to win back trust and simultaneously hold off Nigel Farage's Reform UK. While her reluctance to wheel out new policies at an early stage has raised questions, she nevertheless has carved out her own political niche by recognising the Tory failures of the last 14 years. Speaking to The Independent for International Women's Day, Badenoch said: 'Gender equality to me is about equality of opportunity – it's making sure that every woman can fulfil her potential.' 5. Claudia Winkleman No one in showbiz has a bigger fringe, wears more fake tan or does more each January to cheer up our grey nation than Claudia Winkleman – which is at least partly why she has made it so high on the list once again this year. The presenter, who returned for season three of the BBC's smash hit series The Traitors at the start of this year, stole all our hearts again on a record-breaking season of the show made all the better by her camp asides, which manage to simultaneously drip with both dread and wit. Thanks to Winkleman, swathes of women across the country have started dressing in 'Highland goth' style. And the 53-year-old will soon be hosting the keenly anticipated celebrity version of the show too, which she'll be squeezing into her busy schedule alongside the three other series she already hosts: Strictly Come Dancing, The Piano, and One Question. She is officially the queen of TV. 6. Keely Hodgkinson Moments after Keely Hodgkinson crossed the line in Paris to win Olympic gold in the summer, she was passed a crown by a member of the crowd. Coupled with the 800m medal hanging proudly around her neck, it represented Hodkingson's rise to becoming the nation's next sporting icon. This was truly a golden year for the 22-year-old from Manchester, who delivered against the pressure of expectation in a stirring display of pure running power and steely focus. The Sports Personality of the Year title followed, as did fashion shows in Milan with Giorgio Armani. But despite the glamour, Hodkingson remains humble and determined to continue her journey to improve, with the World Championship title and 800m world record in her sights in 2025. Her gold medal has also inspired the next generation and there are early signs that it has been a transformative moment. 'It's so amazing to hear the stories from little girls and boys who watched me perform in Paris,' Hodgkinson said. 'That's what really inspires me.' She told The Independent for International Women's Day this year: 'I am quite proud my career in track and field doesn't really have gender inequality, and I think that's something that the whole world could have a look at.' 7. Charli XCX It was a Brat summer in 2024 thanks to British pop artist Charli XCX's neon-green opus, a dance and electronic-influenced album Brat, which delved into themes of insecurity, jealousy, competitiveness and chaos as a woman in the 21st century. The singer born Charlotte Aitchison was arguably at her most vulnerable, in spite of the album's bold and brash sound, in lyrics about wanting to party, to have kids, and the nature of celebrity. Its attitude was so compelling that it sparked an international trend, pushing back against 'clean girl' influencers and championing a more hedonistic, independent attitude, co-opted by everyone from brands such as Snapchat and Ritz crackers to Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the US. The pioneering pop artist dominated this year's Brit Awards with four out of five wins, including both Album and Artist of the Year. 8. Cynthia Erivo Cynthia Erivo's mother had predicted her daughter's stardom when she was an infant. Today, Erivo is enjoying the peak of her 15-year career, having recently starred as the green witch Elphaba in Jon M Chu's acclaimed musical film Wicked. Throughout the past year, Erivo has delivered frank discussions about identity and fitting in during the Wicked press tour, in which she delivered countless moving interviews alongside her co-star Ariana Grande. 'I think I was surprised by how connected I felt to Elphaba,' she said last year. 'I understand what it feels like to be set apart from everybody else.' In a recent interview with Essence, she said: 'The thing I hope that Black women and Black girls take away from this character is: You don't necessarily have to wait for someone to see who you are to be celebrated.' Erivo's hard work – performing across the West End, then Broadway, and then making her film debut in 2018 – is paying off: she's one of only a very few to be nominated for an EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award). 9. Tracey Emin Four years after receiving a cancer diagnosis with just a 33 per cent survival rate, Tracey Emin is still shaking up the art world with her raw, confessional work – earning her an obvious place in the top 10 after featuring in the list last year. Best known for My Bed and Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-1995, the Turner Prize nominee, 61, delivered some of her most powerful pieces yet in I Followed You to the End at London's White Cube, following Lover's Grave in New York. Reflecting on life's transformations, she told The Independent 's Geordie Greig: 'I think we all change every seven years, and I feel in a new stage and am loving it – living each day like the last, grabbing life.' 10. Julia Donaldson Known for her much-loved books The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Stick Man, Julia Donaldson has enjoyed 25 years of literary success and become one of the most successful children's authors of all time. In January this year, the former Children's Laureate marked yet another impressive career milestone by supplanting Harry Potter author JK Rowling to become the UK's top-selling author by volume, selling over two million more units than Rowling in the last 12 months. 'I like to think I've got good moral principles, so they're likely to come out in the writing,' she told The Independent of her didactic plot lines that have covered everything from lip-reading to bereavement. 'The best thing about picture books is that they can be anything you like,' said Donaldson, who is a playwright and songwriter along with being a writer. 'People have this idea that children are a peculiar race who like things that are different from what grown-ups like. Everyone likes a good, exciting story.' 11. Stacey Solomon Aged just 35, Stacey Solomon has become something of a national treasure, and so naturally features on the list again this year. She endeared herself to millions with her candid manner on shows such as Celebrity Gogglebox, Loose Women and, of course, The X Factor, which first propelled her to fame back in 2009. Her relatability is key to her success, whether breaking down in tears over a family's heartbreaking tale on her BBC show Sort Your Life Out (which won a National Television Award in September 2024), or sharing easy but often quite ingenious tips for DIY and home improvement on social media. Solomon's openness has been channelled into her advocacy for various issues that affect women and girls – from the stigma she faced as a single parent, to her powerful body positivity messages and her frankness about her struggle with post-natal depression and anxiety. She has also campaigned to end period poverty. 12. Angela Rayner As deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner is one of the most senior women in the Labour Party. After beginning her career as a care worker in Stockport Council, she eventually became a trade union representative within UNISON, during which time she joined Labour. In 2014, she was selected to contest Ashton‑under‑Lyne and was elected at the general election the following year – becoming the first woman MP in the constituency's 180-year history. Having grown up on a council estate and had her first child, Ryan, at 16, Rayner has repeatedly spoken out about the misogyny and prejudice she has faced in her past as she fights to prevent others from going through the same. She continues to face relentless and vicious attacks on social media, especially as a woman in politics, which has led Ryan to ask her if it was all worth it. 'I told him we need people to step up, particularly women,' she recently told The Times. 'Some are stepping down because of the abuse they get, and then we lose that representation. But – yes – I told him, absolutely it's still worth it.' She has also spoken about her hopes that the Labour Party will have its first female leader, but says it's 'not just about having women in one place, and then ticking that box and saying we've done it'. 13. Yulia Navalnaya Yulia Navalnaya's rise to become the unlikely new face of the Russian opposition is one marked by resolve and tragedy. It was not a role the mother-of-two chose for herself, but a position she inherited after her husband, Alexei Navalny, was killed in an Artic penal colony last February, following years of incarceration by Vladimir Putin. In an address in Munich just hours after Navalny's death was first reported, she said: 'I thought for a long time whether I should stand here before you or should I go back to my children? And then I thought: what would have Alexei done in my place? And I'm sure that he would have been standing here on this stage.' Since then she has toured the world, meeting world leaders and vowing to become Russia's next president. She has taken over from the Russian opposition figure Gary Kasparov, the former chess grandmaster, as head of the US-based Human Rights Foundation. And, like all those fighting Putin, she has been designated an extremist and arrested in absentia. The Russian opposition is replete with widows – never before has it been led by one. 14. Taylor Swift The undisputed queen of pop, no musician had a bigger 2024 than Taylor Swift. Her globe-trotting Eras tour – 149 shows across five continents – shattered the record for the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, generating over $2 billion in ticket sales. She made history as the first solo artist to perform at London's Wembley Stadium eight times on a single tour, performing to tens of thousands of fans each night. There was even an extraordinary story claiming fans danced so hard in Edinburgh that they set off earthquake monitors, according to the British Geological Survey (BGS), with seismic activity recorded up to six kilometres away. Meanwhile, the singer's chart-dominating 11th studio album The Tortured Poets Department became the first to reach a billion Spotify streams in a single week, attracting critical praise and a few Grammy nominations along the way. Her charitable efforts have also increased, from her donation to foodbanks across the UK to the millions she gave towards hurricane relief efforts in America. In February, she was crowned global recording artist of the year for the fifth time by the IFP – yet another jewel in her already glittering crown. 15. Chioma Nnadi There were big velvet slippers to fill when it was announced that London-born journalist Chioma Nnadi would replace Edward Enninful after six years at the helm of British Vogue in 2023. The 45-year-old writer, formerly editor of the US edition's website, became the first Black woman in Vogue's 107-year history to edit the lauded fashion magazine. 'Obviously what Edward did was incredible,' she said. 'I'm only taking the conversation further.' When the fashion world decided thin was in again as Ozempic ran rampant in showbiz circles last year, Nnadi boldly called out the resurgence of Nineties body ideals. 'We should all be concerned,' she said. 'Often these things are treated like a trend, and we don't want them to be.' Since the start of her reign, Nnadi has released issues fronted by fresh talent including Grammy-winner SZA, British musician FKA twigs, and, most recently, South African megastar vocalist Tyla. 'I didn't see women who looked like me on the pages of the magazine,' Nnadi reflected ahead of her takeover. 'Now I feel lucky to be coming on when that is so much a natural part of the conversation.' She told The Independent for International Women's Day this year: 'We think about fashion as being essentially a women's industry, but yet when you look at all the heads of these creative houses, often they're men who are the creative directors – so I think it's important that we champion women's voices in the industry and push for change.' 16. Emma Grede When business mogul Emma Grede dropped out of university because she couldn't afford the fees, she was armed with nothing but an unwavering work ethic, a gift for negotiating and an entrepreneurial instinct. Aged 26, she turned her interest in fashion into a multimillion-dollar fortune with the launch of talent and marketing agency ITB and she features on the list for a second year running. The now 42-year-old has since become a founding partner of Kim Kardashian's multibillion-dollar shapewear empire Skims and the size-inclusive denim brand The Good American. Aside from her lucrative ties with the Kardashian clan, Grede has become a trailblazer in the world of entrepreneurship in her own right. Last year, she became the first Black woman to serve as an investor on the popular ABC series Shark Tank (the US version of Dragons' Den), and she serves as chairwoman of 15 Percent Pledge, a non-profit that urges retailers to dedicate 15 per cent of their budgets to Black-owned businesses. 'I realised, really early on, that being a Black woman, being somebody who didn't go to university, and seeing things the way I do was an advantage for me in business,' she said in an interview with the Financial Times. 'That was part of my superpower.' 17. Afua Kyei Afua Kyei was one of the first ethnic minority women to rise to one of the top jobs at the Bank of England when she became its first Black executive and youngest executive director at the age of 36. She said her inspiration for success came from a headmistress who believed in her and her hard-working parents – her father was awarded a scholarship by the government of Ghana to study in the UK after coming 3rd in West Africa for his A-Levels and her mother worked for the NHS for 40 years. A vocal proponent of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), which is currently under attack, particularly under the Trump presidency in the US, she said in a speech last year: 'What I would like to see more than anything, is for diverse people to be fully accepted and valued when they are ordinary, not just when they are exceptional. That's when we'll know we are really moving society forward.' She told The Independent for International Women's Day: 'We need to destigmatise men taking time off work to share in caring responsibilities… We also need to make sure we encourage women to take on leadership roles.' 18. Jess Phillips From her work at domestic abuse charity Women's Aid to her role as safeguarding minister in parliament, Jess Phillips has spent most of her career defending women – summed up by her decision to stand up in the House of Commons each year and name every woman killed by a man in the past 12 months to raise awareness of the violence against women and girls epidemic. As safeguarding minister, she has played a pivotal role in the government's crackdown on drink spiking, as well as the creation of a new criminal offence over making intimate deepfake images. But her government position has also seen her become the target of abuse and harassment herself. At the beginning of 2025, she received a barrage of online attacks – spurred on by tech billionaire Elon Musk – after she rejected a national inquiry into the child grooming gangs scandal. In an interview at the time, Phillips said: "The only thing I ever want to be doing is being able to use all of my brain power to focus on the hundreds of girls I have supported over the years, who have been victims of grooming gangs.' She told The Independent on International Women's Day: 'When we stop having to do all that micro work about when we're going to get home, what we're going to wear – that's what gender equality looks like to me, ease for women just to be who they are and feel free.' 19. Emily Damari British-Israeli national Emily Damari spent 471 days in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip before being released on 19 January this year. The Tottenham Hotspurs fan was the only Briton taken hostage by Hamas. Her mother, Mandy Damari, who was born in Surrey and grew up in Beckenham, south-east London, has praised her daughter's resilience. On 7 October 2023, Hamas gunmen attacked Emily's family's home in Kibbutz Kfar Azar in southern Israel, killing her dog and shooting her in the hand and leg. The militiamen then blindfolded her, bundled her into her car and drove her back into Gaza. She was then denied medical attention despite losing two fingers in the shooting. When the 28-year-old was released in the first swap of the latest, fragile ceasefire agreement, she signed off her first Instagram message with a 'rock on' emoji in an apparent reference to the fingers she lost during her ordeal. She said she had 'come back to life' upon her release. 20. Adejoké Bakare On paper, it might look like Adejoké Bakare never planned on running a restaurant. She studied microbiology, worked in property and cooked for friends on the side. But in 2019, she entered the Brixton Kitchen competition, won the amateur category and found herself at the helm of Chishuru, a West African restaurant in Brixton Village that quickly became one of London's most exciting dining spots. Success came fast, but it wasn't easy. As demand grew, Bakare closed the doors in 2022 to hunt for a bigger space, crowdfunding her way into Soho. In 2024, she made history as the first Black woman in Britain to win a Michelin star – an accolade that cemented what diners already knew: her food is exceptional. Beyond the kitchen, she has also been vocal about industry-wide change. When Jason Atherton claimed sexism wasn't an issue in restaurant kitchens, Bakare was among 70 female chefs who signed an open letter to set the record straight. 'A lot of these things have been going on for years and there's been no change,' Bakare told The Independent, as she called for hospitality venues and the industry as a whole to do an 'MOT… to check and see what things are in place to serve everybody equally'. 21. Carla Denyer Carla Denyer had two electoral victories to celebrate on election night last year. Not only had the Green Party co-leader pulled off its best-ever general election performance, jumping from one MP to four, she was personally responsible for one of the night's biggest upsets. The 39-year-old left-winger capitalised on anger at Keir Starmer's stance on the war in Gaza to unseat the then-shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire. The MP for Bristol Central has since used her voice in parliament, and her party's swelled ranks on the green benches, to pile pressure on Labour from the left, continuing to speak out in support of Gaza, calling for the implementation of rent controls and the introduction of a wealth tax. As a queer woman, she has also described fighting for LGBTQ+ rights as a key issue for her personally and has been vocal in pushing for equality for trans people. Speaking to The Independent for International Women's Day, Denyer said: 'To get gender equality we need gender equity – the difference is that equality is giving everyone the same, whereas equity is recognising that we're all in different situations.' She has her sights set on May's local elections in 2025, when she is hoping to build on the Green Party's 810-strong army of local councillors. 22. Dame Sarah Storey By any objective measure, Dame Sarah Storey might be Great Britain's greatest sportsperson. In September, she won her 18th and 19th Paralympic gold medals at Paris 2024, with the latter in the road race coming almost 32 years to the day since she celebrated her first at Barcelona 1992. With 30 Paralympics medals in total, the 47-year-old boasts a medal haul and longevity at the elite level that few other British athletes can match. And yet, Storey remains largely unknown to the public, which she believes is down to a lack of exposure for para-sport. Despite a glittering trophy cabinet, she has continued to fight for a level playing field for para-athletes, using her platform to pressure decision-makers into improving the visibility of para-sport outside of the Paralympics. Already an undisputed champion of two disciplines – with swimming as well as cycling in her illustrious career – she has not ruled out competing at the Los Angeles Games in 2028. Dame Sarah Storey Athlete 30 Paralympics medals over more than three decades Two Paralympic gold medals at Paris 2024 23. Layla Moran Elected as MP for Oxford West and Abingdon in 2017, Layla Moran is the first MP of Palestinian descent. The Liberal Democrat MP, who had family in Gaza following the outbreak of the conflict with Israel, has been vocal in calling for an immediate ceasefire over the last 18 months, drawing attention to the plight of the women and children affected by the war. The chair of the health and social care select committee has also been outspoken about women's rights during her time in parliament, including highlighting the abuse female MPs face. She has continued to campaign for a crackdown on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) after hearing they were being used to silence survivors of sexual assault at universities, with the bill she tabled currently passing through the Commons. Calling for gender inequalities to be measured and followed up with action, she told The Independent: 'We absolutely need to focus on this and the reason is it's good for everybody.' 24. RAYE RAYE's battle with her former record label Polydor sparked an industry-wide debate, not least over the way women's careers are frequently sidelined when they dare to speak up. She makes the list again this year as her star continues to climb ever higher. The singer's triumph at the 2024 Brit Awards, where she took home a record-breaking six prizes for her critically adored debut My 21st Century Blues, was to many a fairytale story, one that has only continued in the months since. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys, and while she didn't win, she used the opportunity to demonstrate her phenomenal talents to an audience of stars including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift (whom she supported during the London dates of her Eras tour), Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish. Few British artists have successfully 'broken' the US, but RAYE's crossover potential is evident in her recent Top 20 single 'Born Again', a collaboration with rapper Doja Cat and BLACKPINK singer Lisa loaded with Hollywood glamour. 25. Jameela Jamil Jameela Jamil may have found fame on screen in The Good Place and Love at First Sight, but it's her activism that has truly propelled her into the spotlight, with her featuring on the influence list again this year. In 2024, she opened up about how her teenage battle with an eating disorder 'destroyed' her bone density, damaging her kidney, liver, digestive system, and heart. Her raw honesty resonated with her 3.7 million Instagram followers, as she continued to use her I Weigh movement – founded in 2018 – to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and promote the idea that people's worth is defined by their achievements, not the number on the scales. Jameela Jamil Activist and actor I Weigh movement founded in 2018 3.7 million Instagram followers 26. Mishal Husain Mishal Husain's departure from the BBC in the new year marked the end of an era – it was a huge loss for the broadcaster, as well as for a nation that had grown accustomed to her calm voice delivering probing interviews through the airwaves six days a week. After 27 years with the corporation, 11 of those at the helm of its flagship current affairs programme Today, the 52-year-old certainly went out with a bang, with last year marking one of her biggest yet. Most memorably, she led the BBC's general election coverage in the summer, including fronting the high-stakes leader debate. The presenter also released her book Broken Threads: My Family From Empire to Independence last year, which tells the stories of her grandparents in the new state of Pakistan and became a Sunday Times bestseller. Having left what BBC News' CEO called an 'incredible journalistic legacy' at the broadcaster – which has included her longtime advocacy of gender and race equality in the media – Husain is set to launch a global interview series with her new employer Bloomberg. 27. Kate Winslet There are few names in Hollywood that exude as much gravitas as Kate Winslet. As a young star, the Reading-born actor forged a career in the fires of industry misogyny, flinging doors open for women behind her as she starred in films as iconic and diverse as Titanic, The Holiday, The Reader, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Along the way, Winslet has called out body-shaming and bullying, refusing to be airbrushed in editorials and flatout declining to thank Harvey Weinstein in her 2009 Oscars speech – a whole eight years before the disgraced producer was held accountable for his actions. Plus, she's also simply a brilliant actor. Last year, Winslet gave a magnetic, gritty, commanding performance as Lee Millier in Lee, speaking out about the 'appalling' Titanic -era body-shamers during the film's promotion. This year, Winslet is set to make her first dive into directing with contemporary family drama Goodbye June. 28. The Queen The Queen features among the year's most influential women again this year after being at the forefront of the royal family in 2024 as the King took a step back following his cancer diagnosis. A longtime advocate for helping victims of domestic abuse, Camilla continued to spotlight the voices of survivors this year. In November, she released her first documentary feature since ascending the throne, which followed her as she attended official engagements and never-before-seen private meetings with survivors and campaigners of domestic abuse. The Queen also backed The Independent 's campaign to build two safe homes for women fleeing violence. She has met survivors of abuse across the globe, including in Samoa. There, she visited the Samoa Victims Support Group (SVSG) and toured a campus where up to 100 abused children are given care and an education, while domestic abuse survivors receive support and counselling. 29. Nicola Coughlan In the past year, Nicola Coughlan has spread her wings well beyond her breakout role as melodramatic teen Clare in Derry Girls. The Irish star made waves with Channel 4's Big Mood, with a visceral turn as a woman navigating life with bipolar disorder. And after years in the corseted ensemble cast of Bridgerton, she became the star of the Netflix mega-hit. Her character Penelope Featherington moved front and centre to become the series' romantic lead, a move she called 'empowering'. 'There's one scene where I'm very naked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice,' she said in one interview. 'It just felt like the biggest 'f*** you' to all the conversation surrounding my body.' There's one scene where I'm very naked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice. It just felt like the biggest 'f*** you' to all the conversation surrounding my body Nicola Coughlan 30. Imane Khelif Imane Khelif was dignified and defiant in the boxing ring even as her historic gold medal at the Paris Olympics was overshadowed by a gender row that, for a few days, became the biggest story in the world. The Algerian continues to fight against what she calls 'false and offensive' allegations against her, with the International Boxing Association (IBA) filing a legal complaint over its claim that she failed a gender eligibility test at the 2022 World Championships. Khelif was one of two women boxers – along with Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting – cleared to compete in Paris by the International Olympic Committee, who said the IBA's tests could not be relied upon. Amid the spotlight and scrutiny she faced, as well as false reports that she was transgender and intersex, Khelif's victory was an inspirational moment for women and girls in Algeria, leading to a surge of participation at amateur boxing clubs and a transformation of societal norms. Khelif responded to the IBA's legal challenge by stating: 'For two years, I have taken the high road while my name and image have been used, unauthorised, to further personal and political agendas through the spreading and dissemination of baseless lies and misinformation. But silence is no longer an option.' For two years, I have taken the high road while my name and image have been used, unauthorised, to further personal and political agendas through the spreading and dissemination of baseless lies and misinformation. But silence is no longer an option Imane Khelif 31. Cathy Newman Cathy Newman broke one of the major stories of the year as well as unusually becoming her own case study in a story that had a deep personal impact. The Channel 4 News presenter's eight-year investigation into abuse by John Smyth – who is now known as the Church of England's most prolific serial abuser – triggered the church's worst crisis of modern times, which included Justin Welby's resignation from his position as Archbishop of Canterbury in November. The following month, Newman was sitting down to confront a 'haunting' video in which her face had been superimposed onto pornography after colleagues stumbled across it during research for an investigation into deepfakes. As the issue only worsens into 2025, the 50-year-old is advocating for urgent action to be taken against those who weaponise AI against women and girls. Her reporting continues to shine a spotlight on issues that especially affect women and girls, not least in her extensive coverage of sexual harassment, which has included allegations made within Westminster. Speaking to The Independent for International Women's Day, she cited Afghanistan and Gaza as she called on people to remember: 'When you look around the world actually, women's equality is going backwards in many countries.' 32. Tasha Ghouri Tasha Ghouri first won fans as the first ever deaf contestant to appear on ITV's Love Island, but it was her performance on Strictly Come Dancing last autumn that really struck a chord. Her dancing on the series blew judges away, and she made it all the way to the final, eventually coming runner up. While on the show, she scored the first 10s of the season, and moved many fans when she opened up about the ableist abuse she had experienced since being in the public eye. She also hosts the podcast Superpowers with Tasha and released the book Hits Different last June, about a deaf girl who is an aspiring dancer and goes on tour with a global superstar. Speaking to The Independent for International Women's Day, Ghouri called for teaching on gender equality to begin at a young age. 'I think it should start in schools, that's a pivotal time,' she said, adding that both girls and boys should be a part of the conversation. 33. Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver Longtime friends Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver, already successful in their own right, launched the brilliant podcast Miss Me? last year. Airing twice weekly, it connects with listeners thanks largely to the intimate nature of the conversations: pop star and actor Allen, 39, and TV host Oliver, 40, have been friends since childhood, growing up together in west London. Topics are wide-ranging, too, covering their mutual struggles as women in the spotlight, relationship woes, eating disorders, social media, art and politics. Just like best friends, or sisters, they don't always get on, allowing listeners to witness those occasional disagreements or moments of frisson, while they openly admit their jealousy for one another in childhood, for different reasons. But above all, Miss Me? offers a rare window into female friendships, in all their complicated, messy, brilliant glory. 34. Alex Consani Alex Consani represents the 'duality of woman' to her admirers. Strutting down the runway for the world's biggest fashion houses, including Versace and Alexander McQueen, she switches effortlessly to being the goofiest girlie on the New York subway to her millions of TikTok followers. The 21-year-old shot to fame during the Covid-19 pandemic and is the world's first transgender woman to be named Model of the Year at the annual Fashion Awards in London in 2024, as well as one of the first to walk the runway for Victoria's Secret. She came out as trans aged eight and underwent hormone replacement therapy, having dressed as a girl since the age of four. Her parents – a water conservation expert mother who she describes as a 'Slavic European diva', and a dad who works with Guide Dogs for the Blind – supported her by sending her to a trans summer camp. Consani is a vocal activist for causes including Palestine. Her other work includes appearances in music videos Okay by JT, and 360 by Charli XCX. 35. Emma Barnett Emma Barnett ascended to the helm of the BBC's flagship current affairs programme Today last year, following three years of presenting Radio 4's Woman's Hour. The 40-year-old has brought her sharp intelligence, assuredness and fearlessness in challenging guests with her. Highlights include her heart wrenching interview with Caroline Darian, the daughter of Gisèle Pelicot, and a hilarious conversation in bed with comedian Miranda Hart. Barnett has continued to shine a spotlight on women's health, opening up about her personal struggle with endometriosis and how it led to a difficult IVF journey before she became a mother. Her new book Maternity Service: A Love Letter to Mothers from the Front Line of Maternity Leave is set to be released later this month and is inspired by her own experiences, coming after her first book Period: It's about Bloody Time was published in 2019. 36. Molly-Mae Hague Molly-Mae Hague won hearts in 2024 as she navigated the shock end of her five-year relationship with fellow Love Island alum Tommy Fury just a year after their engagement – which has continued to dominate headlines even now. While she rose to fame on the reality show, her success is entirely her own, from her tenure as PrettyLittleThing's creative director to launching her own fake tan company, Filter by Molly-Mae. In 2024, she proved herself to be more than just an influencer: enigmatic as she handled heartbreak with grace, aspirational as she built on her entrepreneurial success, and somehow still the relatable 'girl next door' to millions. She launched her long-awaited fashion brand Maebe in 2024, while her hugely popular documentary Molly-Mae: Behind It All first aired in January this year. Meanwhile, the star has managed to amass nine million followers on Instagram – and counting. 37. Leah Williamson The Lionesses captain has made a successful return to the pitch for club and country after the serious knee injury that forced her to miss the Women's World Cup. Since then, Leah Williamson has stepped back into the leadership role for England and Arsenal that has helped both teams stand at the forefront of the growth of women's football. Williamson's ability to clearly communicate the message behind the Lionesses' journey and aims, as they look to inspire and create societal change for women and girls, will be key again as the team seek to win a second consecutive Euros title in Switzerland this summer. As the first women's footballer to address the UN – which she did during her injury lay-off as she shared her experience of helping refugees through Save the Children x the Arsenal Foundation's Coaching for Life programme – Williamson understands her role off the pitch is as important as her defensive duties on it. In a call for action on tackling gender inequality in football, Williamson told The Independent: 'I think right now we're at a dangerous point, because people want to be perceived as promoting the game, but actually what they're doing isn't matching up to that. So I think actions aren't matching words at the minute... 'What you hope is that the people in power are the ones who do what's right in those circumstances and push in the direction that we think we've been travelling in, because any progress, regardless of how slow it is, is a win. We cannot go backwards.' I think right now we're at a dangerous point, because people want to be perceived as promoting the game, but actually what they're doing isn't matching up to that. So I think actions aren't matching words at the minute Leah Williamson 38. Debbie Crosbie As CEO of Nationwide Building Society, Debbie Crosbie led the completion of the biggest UK merger in the industry since the global financial crisis with the £2.9 billion takeover of Virgin Money in March 2024. Under her stewardship, Nationwide has also pledged not to close branches for a further three years, unlike many other banks and building societies. Crosbie is a powerful presence in the energy networks sphere as a non-executive director of SSE – and she features on the influence list again this year. She is also a leading advocate for nurturing women leaders in business. In asking for staff at Nationwide to return to the workplace on a hybrid basis, Ms Crosbie cited the importance of ensuring women did not miss out on opportunities to progress, while balancing responsibilities at home. 39. Leanne Pero Leanne Pero founded her dance company, the Movement Factory, at just 15 years old – but her life was changed forever in 2016 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of only 30. After that, she set up the Leanne Pero Foundation, with the mission of offering help and support to women cancer sufferers in the Black community and dispelling unhelpful myths and taboos. Her own diagnosis was down to chance, she has said – a pattern she wants to change. As part of her campaigning work, which she has described as dedicating her life to since her diagnosis, she has travelled to West Africa with the Churchill Fellowship to research misconceptions around breast cancer among the Black community there. Leanne Pero Entrepreneur and campaigner Founded dance company the Movement Factory when she was 15 Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 aged 30 Set up the Leanne Pero Foundation in 2019 40. Sophie Willan Comedian Sophie Willan grew up in and out of the care system and channelled these experiences into material for stand-up routines and her multi-BAFTA-winning BBC comedy series Alma's Not Normal. The 37-year-old has been praised by the care community for giving the upbringing visibility on screen in a series that could have been pigeonholed as a tragedy but was instead menacingly funny. 'I really wanted to educate people on empathy,' Willan said of the series, which has since been shown in universities to students studying social work. Her work has also explored themes of feminism, class and northern identity. Last year, the comedian appeared on the seventeenth series of the panel show Taskmaster and was heralded as one of the best contestants of all time. She also starred in the BBC detective dramedy Ludwig alongside David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin, which was commissioned for a second series after an impressive 9.5 million views. Willan told The Independent of her success: 'It's all about making sure we're telling stories that we don't see on our screens but that should be on our screens.' 41. Zoe Kalar It has been a tough, complicated, divisive and often plain bad time for social networks and the people who rely on them. Tech entrepreneur Zoe Kalar has taken that as a challenge, launching WeAre8 – what she called the "People's Platform" – with a view to making today's internet benefit those who actually use it. To do so, she has overseen the founding of an emerging social network platform that is built on actually showing people content made by those people they choose to follow. But maybe even more importantly, that comes with a commitment to share revenue back with the creators who made the content in the first place. Her hope is that the new platform will not just highlight the work of people who might otherwise not be able to share their story but reward them for doing so, both financially and by getting rid of the abuse and division that has characterised the big social media platforms. Launched in 2022, WeAre8 already has 1.5 million monthly active users in the UK and 3 million globally. 42. Jilly Cooper Jilly Cooper was a household name before 2024, but the release of Disney's adaptation of her 1988 novel Rivals sparked a surge of interest around her reputation as queen of the bonkbuster. The TV series starring David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Alex Hassell, Katherine Parkinson, Danny Dyer and Nafessa Williams got everything right, from the class warfare to outrageous outfits and Eighties excess. It was the escapism we needed, but as showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins knew all too well, there are plenty of important issues at its heart. 'Everyone said, 'Jilly Cooper, oh, it's a bit silly,'' he said, recalling the reaction from TV executives when he first pitched the idea of a series. It was a classic case of the sexism and snobbery that has seen Cooper's work dismissed as 'chick lit', frivolous fluff for women. Those views are thankfully outdated: in 2017, Cooper was the subject of a lengthy appreciation in the London Review of Books by Cambridge academic Dr Ian Patterson, who compared Cooper's world-building skills to novelists such as Charlies Dickens and Anthony Trollope. Hats off to her. 43. Saoirse Ronan Almost two decades on from her intense breakout performance in Atonement, Saoirse Ronan has been enjoying the best year of her career. From her heart-wrenching turn as the mother of an evacuee in Blitz to her bruising tour de force as a recovering alcoholic in The Outrun, the Irish actor has been serving up some of the most memorable cinematic performances of the past 12 months. She's also made a splash on the small screen – her appearance on The Graham Norton Show in October made headlines when she delivered an honest reminder about violence against women and girls. A true heroine, even when she's off-duty. 44. Hetti Barkworth-Nanton Hetti Barkworth-Nanton has enjoyed a hugely successful career in the financial and commercial world – but it is her campaign work in aiding survivors of domestic abuse that saw her awarded a CBE. As the CEO at Ploughshare, Barkworth-Nanton oversees an organisation that helps turn Ministry of Defence-developed ideas into viable commercial opportunities. As chair of the board at the charity Refuge, the largest provider of specialist domestic abuse services in the country, Barkworth-Nanton is a powerful voice and presence in the fight to eradicate violence at home. A tireless campaigner, she received a CBE for services to people affected by domestic abuse in November and a Special Recognition at the Pride of Britain awards. Ms Barkworth-Nanton also endorsed The Independent 's Brick-by-Brick campaign in conjunction with Refuge – which saw more than £576,000 raised to build two safe houses for domestic abuse survivors and their children. 45. Charlotte Hill Charlotte Hill is at the head of revolutionary food poverty charity The Felix Project, which rescues surplus food from farms, supermarkets and restaurants and turns it into meals. As CEO, Ms Hill has overseen an extra special year that saw the King visit twice as part of the charity's participation in The Coronation Food Project, an initiative set up to mark Charles's 75th birthday. From their four depots in London, The Felix Project distributes millions of meals to charities, who get them into the hands of those who need them most. In 2024, they gave out the equivalent of 38 million meals to 1,200 community organisations, rescuing almost 16,000 tonnes of surplus food from going to waste. 46. Zoe Ball For Zoe Ball, 2024 marked the end of an era as she stepped down from The Radio 2 Breakfast Show five years after taking over from Chris Evans. A staple of Britain's morning routine, Ball became one of the BBC's most recognisable voices – and, in 2024, was revealed as the corporation's second-highest-paid presenter after Gary Lineker. Signing off on her final day, the 54-year-old reflected: 'It's been such a gift to do the show, to follow in the footsteps of Terry [Wogan] and Steve [Wright]. It's been a privilege to be the first [woman] to present the show... remember girls, you can do anything.' 47. Dame Sue Carr In October 2023, Dame Sue Carr became the first woman named as the most senior judge in England and Wales. She said it was a great privilege to be sworn in as Lady Chief Justice in front of the justice secretary, senior judges and leaders of the legal profession at the Royal Courts of Justice. 'I do not underestimate the challenges that lie ahead, and I look forward to approaching the role with energy, enthusiasm, and positivity,' she said. As the 98th person to take up the powerful role – which dates back to the 13th century – she is the first woman to do so, after taking over from outgoing Lord Justice Burnett. Lady Carr became a barrister in 1987 and took silk in 2003. She held a number of senior roles during her career as a lawyer, including chair of the Bar Standards Board conduct committee and complaints commissioner to the International Criminal Court in the Hague. She became a criminal judge in 2009 and a High Court judge in 2013, before being appointed a Lady Justice of Appeal in 2020. Dame Sue Carr Lady Chief Justice 98th person to take up the role First woman to step into the position The role dates back to the 13th century 48. Debbie Jevans Debbie Jevans is the first woman chair of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, taking on one of the most powerful and prestigious positions in British sport when she succeeded Ian Hewitt to oversee the running of Wimbledon last year. Jevans, a former player who retired at just 23, is no stranger to sports governance and was the director of sport for London 2012's organising committee and chief executive of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. She is set to serve as AELTC chair at a pivotal time for the Championships, as Wimbledon looks to expand its grounds onto the adjacent Wimbledon Park Golf Club following a controversial planning process and amid disputes with local residents. The 64-year-old also wants Wimbledon, an event steeped in pomp and tradition, to embrace the future – the scrapping of line judges after 147 years of line-calling technology may just be the start. 49. Aung San Suu Kyi As the democratically elected leader of Myanmar who has spent most of the last four years jailed in solitary confinement, Aung San Suu Kyi has become one of the world's most controversial figures. She has dedicated her life to the fight for democracy in her country, putting Myanmar ahead of her family, spending nearly 15 years under house arrest and being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the process. But the 79-year-old fell from favour after failing to speak out on her country's extreme violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority and defending the Myanmar military at the International Court of Justice in the Hague in 2019. Just two years later, she was imprisoned by that same junta and continues to be held behind bars. World leaders have continued to call for her release, with UK foreign secretary David Lammy praising her last month as the 'only legitimate leader of her country' and urging Myanmar's military dictatorship to free her. Responding to Independent TV 's documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi, human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger and Wild Swans author Jung Chang joined politicians, journalists and lawyers in calling for her freedom, describing her as the 'last hope' for the people of her country. 50. Amanda Pritchard Amanda Pritchard became the first woman to hold the top job in the 70-year history of the NHS when she was appointed chief executive of NHS England in 2021, marking a significant moment for women and girls across the country. Last year, the 49-year-old launched a major overhaul of the health service, announcing 'radical' plans to cut waiting lists and improve patient care amid the exceptionally high demands of winter 2024. Ms Pritchard announced in February that she will step down from her role at the end of March, after coming under intense scrutiny in recent months. She said it had been a "hugely difficult decision' to stand aside and 'an enormous privilege to lead the NHS in England through what has undoubtedly been the most difficult period in its history'. Reporting for The Independent's 2025 Influence List by: Tara Cobham, Caroline Gammell, Chloe Hubbard, Millie Cooke, Ellie Harrison, Jamie Braidwood, David Maddox, Archie Mitchell, Roisin O'Connor, Annabel Nugent, Athena Stavrou, Tom Watling, Lydia Spencer-Elliot, Ellie Muir, Bryony Gooch, Howard Mustoe, Hannah Twiggs, Maira Butt, Karl Matchett, Andrew Griffin, Holly Bancroft, Amy-Clare Martin, Alexander Butler, Liam James, Melissa Cross, Eliza Ketcher, Olivia Foster
