COVER STORY ASIA'S 100 MOST POWERFUL WOMEN
CHANDRIKA
KUMARATUNGA
Citizenship/Residence
Sri Lanka
In 1994, Chandrika Kumaratunga made
history when she was elected Executive
President, becoming Sri Lanka’s first and
only female Executive President to date.
In 1978, she married prominent film
actor and politician Vikaya Kumaratunga.
Shortly after the assassination of her
husband by extremists in 1988, Chandrika
entered politics. In 1993, she was elected
Chief Minister of the Western Province
in a landslide victory. Then in August
1994, she followed in the footsteps of her
parents and was elected Prime Minister of
Sri Lanka. Chandrika and her government
strove to re-establish democracy and
respect for human rights, speaking
out against extremism, and seeking a
diplomatic solution to the country’s
prolonged ethnic conflict. She left politics
in the year 2005.
CHEN LIHUA
CHANDA
KOCHHAR
Citizenship/Residence
India
30
Citizenship/Residence
China
In 1984, Chanda Kochhar joined ICICI Bank
Limited as a management trainee. At present
the managing director and chief executive
officer (CEO) of ICICI Bank, Kochhar has
been a major reason why it has today
become India’s second largest bank and the
largest bank in the country’s private sector.
Her competence has led her to become a
member of the Board of Trade, the Prime
Minister’s Council on Trade and Industry,
the high-level committee on financing
infrastructure, US-India CEO Forum and
UK-India CEO Forum. Recently in 2011, she
was conferred with the Padma Bhushan,
India’s third highest civilian honour.
Up Till October 15, 2015
Chen Lihua is the founder
and chairman of Fu Wah
International Group, one of
Beijing’s largest commercial
property developers. Along with
her business commitments,
Chen has also invested to build
a state-level private museum,
the China Rosewood Museum.