When I looked at Forbes list of the World's Most Powerful Couples, I saw some familiar names in the couples chosen. It appears that whether its politics, media, fashion or technology, often times, each of the power pairs have been a force in their industries and or field.
Barack and Michelle Obama
As president and first lady of the largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $14.66 trillion, and the third-largest country by population (313 million), the Obamas top the list of the world’s most powerful couples. Michelle--named the world’s eighth most powerful woman by Forbes this year--leads the Let’s Move campaign to tackle childhood obesity. Her fashion choices alone have contributed $2.7 billion to the retail sector, according to the Harvard Business Review.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
A-list actors Jolie and Pitt are box-office gold and press favorites. They earned a combined take-home of $50 million last year while raising six children. Jolie is a UN Goodwill Ambassador and our No. 29 most powerful woman. Pitt has appeared in 63 movies (some not yet released) and has won a Golden Globe award.
Bill and Hillary Clinton
The former U.S. president and the former Secretary of State, named the world’s second most powerful woman this year, are among the world’s most powerful people. Beloved by many and hated by some, they are well-known and respected around the globe.
Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z
Both celebrities are among the music industry’s most financially successful and critically acclaimed. Beyonce has won 16 Grammy awards, alone and with girl-group Destiny’s Child, and Jay-Z has racked up 13. Beyonce, named No. 18 on the list of the world's most powerful women, released her fourth solo album this year and titled it “4,” partly as a nod to her April 4 wedding anniversary with musician and Roc Nation founder Jay-Z.
Bill and Melinda Gates
Microsoft mogul Bill Gates built up a net worth of $56 billion and his wife Melinda put it to good use. The couple’s Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has granted $25.36 billion since its inception in 1994 to support global health and development. Melinda’s active role helped her rank sixth on Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful women.
Ellen and Portia De Generes
TV host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres married TV actress Portia DeGeneres (formerly de Rossi) in 2008. Together they rule the airwaves. Ellen has assumed the role of daytime TV’s leading lady this year, ranks at No. 55 on our power women list, and counts more than 7 million followers on Twitter. Australian actress Portia DeGeneres (formerly de Rossi), is known for roles on Arrested Development, Better Off Ted and Ally McBeal.
Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen--Power Woman No. 60--is the world’s highest earning model and a UN Goodwill Ambassador. By her side is all-American New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has led his team to win three super bowls and twice earned a Super Bowl MVP award.
Tina Brown and Harold Evans
Diane von Furstenberg and Barry Diller
The designer and founder of DVF has dressed millions of women around the world, helping her rank as our No. 91 power woman. Her husband, Barry Diller, is the current chairman of IAC and a former movie and TV exec, with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion. Together, the taste-makers are a business and cultural powerhouse.
Tina Brown and Harold Evans
Editor-in-Chief of both Newsweek and The Daily Beast, media maven Tina Brown, ranked No. 81 on Forbes power woman list, is married to Harold Evans, former editor of The Sunday Times and founder of Conde Nast Traveler. The journalism power duo is a U.K. transplant to the U.S.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Who could forget the Queen of England and her husband of 65 years. Queen Elizabeth has been the United Kingdom's reigning monarch since 1952. She celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. her net worth is estimated at $450 million dollars
Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols
Sawyer is one of the most prolific and respected women in broadcast journalism, and Nichols is the Oscar-winning director behind movies like The Graduate, Working Girl and Closer. The mixed-media power couple have been married since 1988.
Christiana Amanpour and James Rubin
Amanpour and Rubin are among media's most influential couples. Amanpour is the global affairs anchor of ABC News and the chief international correspondent and host of Amanpour on CNN. Meanwhile, Rubin is a top editor at Bloomberg News and a former U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary.
The Forbes list introduced me to five powerful couples I knew little about:
The glamorous power couple founded property developer Soho China in Beijing in 1995, now known for its stylish, modern buildings. Pan is one of China's most popular bloggers, and Zhang--our No. 48 power woman--is a former Goldman Sachs executive.
Cher Wang and Wenchi Chen
Power Woman No. 20, Wang founded mobile company HTC in 1997, and its sales nearly doubled last year to $9.6 billion. Her husband, Chen, sits on HTC’s board of directors and runs one of her other tech start-ups, VIA Technologies. This techie power couple is a force to be reckoned with.
Melissa Mayer and Zachary Bogue
Mayer, who left Google to become the new CEO of struggling tech company Yahoo, and Bogue, a former lawyer who invests in big-data startups and recently launched the investment fund Data Collective, married in 2009. Now they are one of Silicon Valley's top techie power pairs.
Jin Sook and Do Won Chang
The Changs founded “fast fashion” retailer Forever 21 in 1984. Today, it operates 470 stores worldwide, and annual sales are estimated to be $2.2 billion. The Korean immigrants prove the American dream is alive well: they’ve earned billionaire status and Jin Sook Chang debuts at No. 39 on this year’s most powerful women list.
Shakira and Gerard Pique
Latina performer and philanthropist Shakira is involved with one of Spain's most famous soccer players, Gerard Pique, a center-back for FC Barcelona.
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