ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Jacinda Ardern Has Been Named The World's Greatest Leader

Jacinda Ardern Has Been Named The World's Greatest Leader

The Kiwi Prime Minister has been honoured for her Covid-19 strategy and for taking a pay cut during the pandemic.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Jacinda Ardern has topped Fortune Magazine's list of the world's greatest leaders.

The Kiwi Prime Minister has received the epic honour for her hard work during the pandemic last year.

While every country and territory leader had a huge responsibility to keep their citizens alive in 2020, New Zealand has been voted in a separate poll as having the best response to the outbreak of Covid-19.

It was Ms Ardern's early, quick and harsh lockdown that allowed New Zealand to keep cases and deaths to a minimum.

It wasn't long before the country became the envy of the whole world and was hosting massive sporting and entertainment events while the rest of the globe was still locked in their homes.

PA

Fortune Magazine wrote about Jacinda's honour: "The Covid-19 pandemic struck and Ardern targeted not just suppression of the virus but its complete elimination.

"Though there have been a few scares, her strategy largely proved successful; New Zealand, a nation of nearly five million people, has seen fewer than 2700 cases and only 26 deaths."

It's not the first time Jacinda has appeared on Fortune Magazine's list but it's certainly her debut at number one.

Fortune added: "Jacinda Ardern had already sealed her position as a great leader early in her premiership of New Zealand, by empathetically steering her country through the aftermath of a terror attack and the deadly eruption of a volcano.

"Ardern and her cabinet ministers took a six-month, 20 per cent pay cut in 2020 to show solidarity with people who had lost their livelihoods owing to the pandemic."

Fortune's list isn't restricted to prime ministers, presidents and other stately figures.

It also included the likes of country music icon Dolly Parton, NFL superstar Tom Brady, human rights advocate Malala Yousafzai, American cooking show host Guy Fieri, US Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman, pro tennis player Naomi Osaka, and the scientists who helped produce the mRNA technology that welcomed the Covid-19 vaccine.

These people were all recognised for their work during 2020 in a year that heard the word 'unprecedented' all too much.

"Others rose up to meet different, desperate situations. Some were already in leadership positions; many were not," Fortune's Geoff Colvin said.

"What's so striking about this year's group is how many of them emerged almost instantly, seemingly out of nowhere, to meet unimagined crises."

Let's hope we have a similar type of leadership in 2021.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: New Zealand, News