Sanna Marin

At 34, Sanna Marin is the world’s youngest head of government, stepping into the role in December—and quickly facing down the greatest pandemic of the past century. 

In battling the coronavirus, Finland’s prime minister has put the focus squarely on innovative solutions. Case in point: when she launched a project for social media influencers to easily and swiftly distribute on-point messaging and images. Collaborating with a social media consultancy and a network of media companies, Marin’s office was able to quickly get accurate information in front of people normally outside the reach of traditional media outlets. 

Her decisive and forward-thinking response to the pandemic is a powerful representation of a leadership style focused on initiatives that improve lives. As part of her office’s roadmap to make Finland carbon neutral by 2035, for example, Marin established a fund to support projects focused on fighting climate change.