Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil

Dilma Rousseff rose to Brazilian presidency in January 2011, after previously serving as chief of staff to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for six years (2005-2010). She is the first elected female president in the history of the Latin American country.

Rousseff was placed 16th on Forbes' list of Most Powerful People in the World in 2010, and got ranked third on Forbes' list of Most Powerful Women in the World in 2011-coming in only behind Angela Merkel and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.