Good morning, MPW Daily readers! Some of you are already wondering about a tentpole moment of 2026: the annual Fortune Most Powerful Women list. This year, the list is set to publish in late May—and we are ready for your submissions!
We would love for you to nominate an executive for our annual ranking of the Most Powerful Women in Business. For those who are unfamiliar, this will be the 29th year that Fortune has determined who the most powerful women in business are—first in the U.S., and now globally. Grounded in data, this is the definitive ranking to understand who is wielding power in business today and who is poised to have more tomorrow. It is measuring the power of business executives; while we love chronicling the power of women in politics and other fields, this project stays focused on the business world.
While more than 50 women lead Fortune 500 companies, only 20 Fortune 500 CEOs were on the 2025 list—a reflection of just how competitive it is. Just over half of last year’s list was made up of women working in the U.S.; 48 were based in other nations, with 19 countries and territories represented.
The 2026 ranking will continue to be a global list of 100 executives around the world. We’re looking for major CEOs but also those who hold other influential posts at the world’s most significant companies (tell us why the CFO or CHRO is running the show at your company!)—and those at the center of consequential industries like AI. No. 1 on the 2025 MPW list was GM CEO Mary Barra (who continues to make news, more on her today below!). Although many executives repeat from year to year as their power grows, anything is possible—and we’re always excited to learn about someone who wasn’t previously on our radar.
We want to hear from you about how executives you nominate have continued to grow their influence since May 2025 and financial results that help us evaluate their work. We especially want to understand the why and the impact. Not just what this woman has accomplished—but why does it matter? How is she or her company influencing the world? See further instructions and frequently asked questions below:
How do I nominate a candidate for the 2026 Fortune Most Powerful Women list?
To nominate an executive for the 2026 MPW list, please submit the following to mpwlist2026@fortune.com by Wednesday, Feb. 25:
—The executive’s name
—Her title
—To whom she reports, her responsibilities, and how many employees she oversees
—What country she’s based in
—The candidate’s bio, including corporate boards or boards of other influential organizations
—The company’s annual revenue and profit
—If the candidate is the head of a division, the division’s annual revenue and income
—Specific accomplishments since May 2025
—A description of her influence on the broader business world (Did she start an initiative that was copied by competitors? Has she influenced policy outcomes or authored a book?)
—A description of her or her company’s innovation (Is her business tackling an old problem in a new way? Has she cracked the code on AI use in her industry? Has her approach to people management yielded notable results?)
—A description of how the candidate has, in a professional context, used her power to advance the interests of employees, the community, or society at large.
What is your methodology?
Our methodology accounts for the size of the executive’s business; the health of that business; her innovation; her influence; her career trajectory; and her impact. We rely on an internal scoring system that helps us understand each executive in the context of her peers. We will review submissions and evaluate each candidate based on those six factors.
We’re a private company. Do we have to share financial info or can that information be off the record?
If you’d like us to keep private company financial information confidential, please mark that in your submission and we will honor it. It’s highly unlikely we’ll be able to seriously consider candidates without any company financials.
Do you consider executives without a P&L?
Money is one measure of power. It’s relatively rare that executives without P&L responsibility make the list—but it’s possible.
Do executives need to be part of Fortune 500, Global 500, or public companies?
That’s not a strict requirement. The majority of execs who end up on the list, however, are.
Can I nominate more than one executive from the same company?
Yes. Please submit separate nominations for each executive.
Is there a word limit? Can I go over it?
Try to keep the entire thing under 800 words or so. We won’t ignore your submission if it’s longer than that, but try not to write a novel!
Can I have an extension?
We won’t be able to individually respond to extension requests, but feel free to flag to mpwlist2026@fortune.com if you expect to submit after the Feb. 25 deadline. If your submission comes in a few days after our deadline, we will most likely be able to review it—weeks late, and it’s unlikely.
Will you confirm receipt of our submission?
We are not able to confirm receipt of each submission. Trust that the email inbox is working!
Can executives who aren’t nominated make the list?
Yes. Concurrent with this external nomination process, the Fortune team will also be doing our own research and reporting about who we believe is at the top of the business world right now. This external process is intended to give others the chance to make the case, too. And for those execs whose teams know are they likely to make the cut—it’s always helpful to see what you believe have been the most significant aspects of her work or company results over the past year.
Will I be notified whether my executive will make the list or not?
We don’t notify in advance for candidates who do not make the list. Finalists for the list may hear about fact-checking and other publication details.
We look forward to reviewing your submissions and reporting on the women at the top of the business world in 2026!
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Subscribe here.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
Citi is sued over sexual harassment. Julia Carreon worked in Citi’s wealth management division until 2024. She alleges that Andy Sieg, Citi’s head of wealth, publicly displayed sexually charged conduct toward her and failed to refute rumors that they were having an inappropriate relationship. Citi, led by CEO Jane Fraser, says the lawsuit has no merit. WSJ
What's going on with Black women's unemployment. It's now equivalent to the highest rate of unemployment white women saw during the Great Recession, while white women's unemployment has not reached that level. Workplace trends, cuts to federal jobs, and DEI cuts are all to blame. The 19th
GM beats expectations on earnings. The automaker led by Mary Barra (No. 1 on the Fortune Most Powerful Women list) missed revenue expectations but saw its stock rise 5%—and satisfied investors with a 20% increase to its quarterly dividend. CNBC
Sen. Amy Klobuchar's run for governor is delayed. The senator was expected to announce her run for governor of Minnesota this week, but the launch is on pause as ICE's presence roils Minneapolis. Politico
ON MY RADAR
Stanford, family of women’s soccer captain Katie Meyer settle wrongful death lawsuit The Athletic
Trump's feud with Ilhan Omar is getting more intense WSJ
Lindsey Vonn partners with Figs to say thank you to her medical team USA Today
PARTING WORDS
"I wanted to build a lingerie brand that feels like it understands women instead of talking at them."
— Sydney Sweeney on her new lingerie brand Syrn—which started with a stunt hanging bras on the Hollywood sign
