Hong Kong: Seventeen women from India, China, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines were among Fortune magazine's 50 most influential women in international business, the US-based publication said on October 2.

Vidya Chabria, chairwoman of Jumbo Group of India took 44th place, while Naina Lal Kidwai, executive vice chairman and CEO of HSBC Securities and Capital Markets in India was listed as the 50th most influential woman.

Four Asian women were ranked in the top 10 - including Mary Ma, CFO of China's Legend Group Holdings at five, followed by Ho Ching, executive director of Singapore-based Temasek Holdings, Lien Siaou-Sze, senior vice president of Hewlett-Packard Services Asia Pacific in Singapore in eighth place and Eiko Kono, president of Recruit (Japan) in 10th place.

Marjorie Scardino, chief executive officer of Britain's Pearson, was ranked the number one woman in international business, followed by Belinda Stronach, CEO and president of Canada's Magna International, Anne Lauvergeon, executive chairman of France's Areva, and Patricia Barbizet, chief executive of France's Artemis.

In compiling the list, Fortune said although power was difficult to quantify, women are indeed a force to be reckoned with in the traditionally male-oriented business arena.

Fortune said however, that "Female corporate power is still spread unevenly across the business world," adding "many cultural, social and logistical issues conspire against women's development in business, from stereotyping to maternity leave."