CEO of budget airline Vietjet Air Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao is Vietnam’s only representative to be named on the 2017 Forbes list of the world's 100 most powerful women.

CEO of budget airline Vietjet Air Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao  

Thao appeared 55th in the list, up seven places from last year rankings, with an estimated net worth of US$ 1.93 billion.

Earlier, Thao was also established as Southeast Asia’s only woman billionaire to be named on this year’s FORBES World’s Self-Made Women Billionaires list.

She launched the airline in 2011, which now offers 300 flights a day and operates over 40% of the nation's flights.

As a graduate from Russia, Thao has experience in conducting business both in Vietnam and abroad, in such fields as finance and banking, aviation, real estate and consumption. She also has investments in HD Bank and real estate, including three beach resorts.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel retains the top spot on this year's class of female leaders -- for the seventh consecutive year and the twelfth time in total. She's followed by the UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In the Southeast Asian region, Singapore has two women, and Myanmar has one representative, on the list. With 48 names, the US has the largest number of the most powerful women in the world.

Nhan Dan