Singtel's Chua Sock Koong,Temasek's Ho Ching among most powerful women executives outside US in Fortune list

Singapore Telecommunications Group CEO Chua Sock Koong (left) and Temasek Holding's executive director and CEO Ho Ching are ranked 4th and 8th in a list of the world's 50 most powerful businesswomen outside the US. PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - Singapore Telecommunications Group CEO Chua Sock Koong and Temasek Holding's executive director and CEO Ho Ching are ranked 4th and 8th in a list of the world's 50 most powerful businesswomen outside the US.

The list by Fortune magazine is topped by Brazilian banking giant Banco Santander's boss Ana Botin.

It excludes Americans - who get their own list - and sees 19 countries represented, with Chinese women dominating the list. The highest ranked Chinese businesswoman Dong Mingzhu is CEO of China's largest air conditioning manufacturer Gree Electric Appliances Inc. She ranks 11th on the list.

Ms Chua, 58, was ranked 3rd in Asia last year. Fortune said she grew Singtel into South-east Asia's largest telecommunications company in a decade at its helm, boasting US$51 billion (S$69.3 billion) in market capitalisation, and earnings of US$2.8 billion last year - 70 per cent of which came from overseas operations.

Calling her an "astute technocrat", the magazine said that under her watch Singtel's sizable investments in cybersecurity are paying off.

Ms Ho, 63, ranked 10th in Asia last year, is cited for her leadership of Singapore's state investment firm, whose US$180 billion portfolio posted an annual shareholder return of 6 per cent over the past decade.

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