Forbes Most Powerful Women 2013

Today's list demonstrates that what defines 'power' is changing. It sends a pretty powerful message that power is something that can be achieved in life, rather than simply being born into it.

The exact definition of power in the Oxford dictionary is the "capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events".

Super geeks Sheryl Sandberg, Virginia Rometty, Ursula Burns and Meg Whitman rank higher than the Queen (40) and even the most influential celebrities: Beyoncé is in 17th place this year, ahead of Lady Gaga (45) and Angelina Jolie (37).

The notable omission from the list of the(who last year was branded a Forbes One to Watch) is telling: you don't have to be one of society's elite to be the most influential.

If Kate Middleton, the country's chief child bearer, doesn't make it onto a list of top 100 powerful women, then there is hope yet for our young generation of women to rise up and take a place at the top table.

And tech seems to be the place to do it. The digital economy now accounts for 8pc of GDP and female business leaders writing for Telegraph Wonder women have recently urged young women to consider technical careers and acquire the right, digital skills to stay relevant – and take advantage of growth.

So good for the female super geeks who have earned their place on the Power List – and pave the way for more digitally savvy entrepreneurs and business women to do so.

It's also worth reflecting that a "remarkable" number of women on the top 100 Power List list this year are also founders or owners of their own enterprises, not a few of whose eponymous companies are synonymous with high fashion. To name drop a few, Miuccia Prada (58) and Zara founder Rosalia Mera (66) feature, as do Tory Burch (69) and Diane von Furstenberg (74).

Other self-made starters include Oprah Winfrey (13), Chinese real estate tycoon Zhang Xin (50) and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, India's first biotech entrepreneur, at number 85.

You don't need to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth, or hit it big in the pop charts, to make your mark on the world. The world is there for the taking, if you just go and get it.