CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

New List Reveals The Top 50 Most Powerful Openly Gay Business Leaders In The World

outstanding-in-businessOUTstanding in Business, a professional network for LGBT executives, teamed up with the Financial Times to compile a list of the 50 most powerful out corporate leaders in the world. HSBC UK head Antonio Simoes tops the list, which appeared in a global supplement of October 22’s FT.

The list was compiled from a social media campaign conducted by OUTstanding seeking nominations, with support from celebrities like Stephen Fry and mentions in the Financial Times Executive Appointments section. Each leader is a willing participant on the list and provided information based on five criteria: leadership, being a role model, contribution, success, and making a difference.

“We can easily justify why Antonio Simoes is number one,” OUTstanding founder Suki Sandhu, told the Times. “Antonio scores very highly in every criteria – he’s a chief executive, out in financial services, has driven the diversity agenda in HSBC, challenges stereotypes, and won diversity leader of the year at the European Diversity Awards.”

Noticeably absent from the list is Apple CEO Tim Cook, who topped Out Magazine‘s 50 Most Powerful gays list for three consecutive years. Of course, as Cook has never publicly acknowledged his sexual orientation, he probably failed to meet a few of the judging criteria. Also missing: Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries — but nobody wanted to be associated with that weathered human trashbag.

Check out and memorize the top 10 below for when you go sugar daddy/mommy shopping:

1. Antonio Simoes, HSBC; CEO UK and Head of retail banking and wealth management for Europe
2. Beth Brooke, EY; Global vice chair, Public Policy
3. Paul Reed, bp; Chief executive
4. Joseph Evangelisti, JP Morgan Chase; Chief communications officer
5. Charles Allen, The Lord Allen of Kensington, 2 Sisters Food Group, ISS, Global Radio, Endemol; Chairman, non-executive director
6. Claudia Brind-Woody, IBM; Vice President & Managing Director, Global Intellectual Property Licensing
7. Colin Walsh, American Express; Executive vice-president, proprietary card services
8. Robert Hanson, American Eagle Outfitters; Chief executive
9. Anthony Watson, Barclays Bank; Managing director & chief information officer, Europe Middle East retail & business banking
10. Mary Jo Abler; 3M Unitek, President

And for the full list click on over to the Financial Times.

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