Virkkunen made TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people – the only Finn

THE FACTS

TIME 2026 – The most influential leaders (Leaders)

• Pope Leo XIV – A leader of the Roman Catholic Church who has significant moral and geopolitical influence on global conflicts, peace mediation and value debates.
• Claudia Sheinbaum – The president of Mexico, a left-wing technocrat who represents Latin America’s new, science- and climate-based political leadership.
• Marco Rubio – US Secretary of State, key influencer in US relations with China, Ukraine, Europe and Latin America.
• Donald Trump – The president of the United States, whose decisions have shaped international trade, security policy and the Western debate on democracy.
• Mark Carney – Prime Minister of Canada and former central banker, who has exceptional weight in global economic and climate policy.
• Zohran Mamdani – The mayor of New York, a New Wave Democratic leader who represents the city-level progressive exercise of power in the United States.
• Xi Jinping – President of China and leader of the Communist Party, one of the most influential people in the world in the field of economy, technology and security policy.
• Sanae Takaichi – Japan’s leading conservative politician and security policy influencer, possible future prime minister figure.
• Benjamin Netanyahu – Prime Minister of Israel, a key actor in the security and crisis policy of the Middle East.
• And I – I’m Called – President of Namibia, prominent African regional leader and long-time influencer of the independence movement.
• Steve Witkoff – US businessman and special presidential envoy, prominent role in geopolitical negotiations and background diplomacy.
• Gavin Newsom – The governor of California, a prominent national leader of the Democratic Party and the figurehead of climate policy.
• Gwynne Shotwell – CEO of SpaceX, a key global influencer in space and defense technology.
• Balendra Shah – The Prime Minister of Nepal, came to power as a result of widespread civil protests and symbolizes a political generational change.
• Susie Wiles – A key strategic influencer of the White House and an insider of the president, a significant wielder of power behind the scenes.
• Tariq Rahman – The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, a politician who rose to power from the opposition, whose reign is associated with the restoration of democracy in the country.
• Mark Kelly – US senator and former astronaut, an influential voice in security and space policy.
• Heather Gerken – American jurist and expert on democratic governance, a key influencer in electoral and democratic reforms.
• Dan Caine – A high-level commander of the US Armed Forces, a significant military influencer in the global security environment.
• Henna Virkkunen – Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, a key figure in the EU’s technology, security and digital democracy policy.
• Rafael Mariano Grossi – Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the global authority on nuclear weapons and nuclear security policy.
• Mette Frederiksen – Prime Minister of Denmark, a prominent European leader and a leading figure in Ukraine’s support policy.
• Jacob Frey – The mayor of Minneapolis, a symbolic figure of urban crises and federal power relations in the United States.
• Fatih Birol – Director General of the International Energy Agency (IEA), one of the world’s most influential energy and climate policy experts.