This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Top 30 Europeans


Omar Sy Award-winning actor, France


Omar Sy is the fi rst black actor to scoop a César award in February 2012, for best actor in the French box-offi ce hit Intouchables (Untouchables.) Omar started his acting career as the main character in the comic television series Omar et Fred, before receiving the national award (the French equivalent to an Oscar) for his breakthrough performance. T e winner of seven international awards, Intouchables has been recognised as one of the most successful movies in French fi lm history, attracting an impressive 19m cinema-goers. It’s the second highest earning French fi lm of all time. When it opened in November 2011 it grossed $166m in French territories and double that amount when it opened in other countries. Omar’s success is a classic rags to riches story. He was the fourth sibling of eight raised in an underprivileged neighbourhood in suburban Paris, to a mother from Mauritania and a Senegalese father. He is now considered the most prominent black actor in France.


Dr Hamadoun Touré Secretary-General of International Telecommu- nication Union (ITU), Switzerland


Dr Hamadoun Touré is the secretary- general of the Geneva-based UN agency, International Telecommunications Union (ITU). He is also co-vice-chair of the organisation Broadband Commission for Digital Development, which promotes the use of high-capacity broadband connections to the internet. Hamadoun, who holds an electronics PhD, is particularly passionate about providing developing communities with access to information and communication technologies with the aim of dramatically improving child and maternal healthcare. Hamadoun’s proficiency in English, French, Russian and Spanish gives him the ability to negotiate agreements in several international settings. In 2007 he actively promoted a series of ITU events – the first being Connect Africa, held in Rwanda. Connect Africa raised $55bn in investment pledges to improve Africa’s telecoms infrastructure over seven years.


Christiane Taubira Minister of Justice, France


Justice minister Christiane Taubira is the highest-ranking woman in the French cabinet and one of the most powerful women in France. Appointed in May 2012 in the new government under President François Hollande, her brief means she is head of public prosecutions and oversees the courts. T is year she has implemented stricter legislation against sex off enders and is a champion for criminal rehabilitation. Graduating from Pantheos Assas University in Paris with a higher degree in economics, Christiane’s political career began in 1993 as president of the overseas Socialist Party of French Guiana. T e party held a seat in the National Assembly of the lower parliament in France where Christiane worked as deputy. During this time, in 2001, she was the driving force behind legislation that recognised the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans as a crime against humanity. She was also the fi rst black person to run for French president in 2002 gaining 2.32% of the vote.


Eusébio da Silva Ferreira Ex-football striker and national sports icon, Portugal


National icon Eusébio da Silva Ferreira is the most famous name in the history of Portuguese football (think a black Bobby Charlton), for his exceptional performances in the 1960s. Nicknamed the ‘Black Panther’ for his fierce dribbling ability, Fifa acclaimed the centre-forward one of the 10 best footballers of all time. Eusébio began his career with a local football club in Mozambique, the country of his birth, before signing a contract with Benfica in Portugal. There is not enough space in one profile to list all of Eusébio’s achievements. He won 11 Premier League titles, five Portuguese Cup titles and appeared in one European Cup final. He was heralded top scorer of the European Cup in 1965, 1966 and 1968 but really made his mark in 1966, scoring nine goals at the World Cup finals in England, which helped elevate Portugal into third place. Eusébio’s contributions to the tournament were credited with the Ballon d’Or prize for best European player in 1965. In 1968 and 1973 he became the first footballer to be rewarded the prestigious European Golden Boot Award, for being the highest scorer in Europe. A bronze statue of the ‘Black Panther’ currently occupies a proud place outside Benfica’s Estadio da Luz stadium.


82 POWERLIST 2013 | WWW.POWERFUL-MEDIA.COM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120