The Most Powerful People in the World-- You've Probably Never Heard Of (One World, Many Peaces)

December 08, 2009

The Most Powerful People in the World-- You've Probably Never Heard Of

The list of the 67 most powerful people in the world-- ten per billion inhabitants or so-- has recently been released by Forbes. While the top ten are quite predictable (see the complete list below), there are a few names not so much further down that are surprising for how unrecognizable they are. Here are the top five most powerful people in the world you’ve never heard of (notice where all but one is from):

Li Changchun. Controls what 1.3 billion Chinese see, hear, speak as the Communist Party's Propaganda Minister. Keeps "unhealthy information" (Dalai Lama, Tiananmen Square, Falun Gong) from world's largest Internet user population, estimated at 340 million. Controls CCTV, China's leading television network. Together with China Mobile, state-controlled mobile service company, switched customers' cellphone ring-back tones to patriotic beats for country's 60th birthday. Lyrics: "Only when we have a strong country can we have a prosperous family."

Li Ka-shing. Yes, his name is "Ka-shing." So-called "Superman's" net worth down $10 billion in past year as Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa stock tumbled. Upside, still world's largest operator of container terminals, major health and beauty retailer, supplier of electricity to Hong Kong and lucrative real estate developer. Generous: calls philanthropy "third son," plans to give one-third of wealth to charity. Athletic too: plays golf every day; reportedly sank his 15th hole-in-one in September.

Jean-Claude Trichet. Responsible for monetary policy in world's second-largest economic area as EU Centrank Chief; 16 member states of Eurozone now contribute some 15% of world GDP. Unlike U.S. Fed, European Central Bank traditionally has focused on controlling inflation rather than spurring economic growth, a bias fiercely challenged by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Lou Jiwei. Runs China's $200 billion sovereign wealth fund. Took heavy hits from big bets on Morgan Stanley ($5 billion), Blackstone ($3 billion). But recovery whetting appetite: took $850 million stake in commodities trading company Noble Group to shore up agricultural commodities, following 2008 global food crisis.

Ratan Tata. The 71-year-old head of the Tata Group—conglomerate with interests in everything from tea to steel—is India's best brand ambassador. His 2007 acquisition of Anglo-Dutch steel maker Corus and auto brands Jaguar, Land Rover signaled global ambitions. In 2008, made automotive history debuting $2,500 Tata Nano, the world's cheapest auto. Calls Nano "The People's Car"; in nation of a billion, environmentalists call it eco-disaster.

Yes, four out of five of them are from Asia, China and India. And expect to see more in years to come. Why? Because Asia is a bigger current event collectively than anywhere else on the planet, and is in the process of becoming the primary agent creating the future of the world, for better or worse.

And the 67 are...

1. Barack Obama

2. Hu Jintao

3. Vladimir Putin

4. Ben S. Bernanke

5. Sergey Brin and Larry Page

6. Carlos Slim Helu

7. Rupert Murdoch

8. Michael T. Duke

9. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud

10. William Gates III

11. Pope Benedict XVI