Fortune's prestigious list of top 50 great leaders features just one figure from the world of religion – and once again, it's Pope Francis.
The annual list – on which the Pope has appeared every year since his election five years ago – includes widely-known figures like Melinda Gates and Angel Merkel, but also lower-profile people who have made their mark in their own sphere.
Fortune's senior editor Geoff Colvin said: 'Remember as you scan our list that we evaluate each leader within his or her own field of endeavour. Someone leading a small organisation effectively may rank above someone far more famous nudging global issues. Our point isn't to declare that, say, No. 7 on our list is "greater" than No. 9. The point is that great leaders can be anywhere – at the helm of a giant corporation, running a rural college, or in a cramped office exerting influence through sheer personal energy.'
The citation for Francis, who comes in at no.3, says: 'As he begins the fifth year of his papacy, the first Latin American pope continues to inspire and surprise as he reconciles the conflicting demands of traditionalism and modernity within the Catholic faith.'
It refers to his controversial document Amoris Laetitia and his move towards considering some married men to become priests.
However, it says: 'But beyond his Church's walls, it's the Pope's critique of capitalism without conscience that ensures his enduring influence. In December at a gathering of CEOs convened by Fortune and Time at the Vatican, Pope Francis called on business leaders to do more to reach the billions of people shut out from the fruits of the global economy. "Give them a voice, listen to their stories, learn from their experiences, and understand their needs," the pope urged his audience, backing up his challenge with a moral authority that virtually no other leader can wield.'
