Sharon Bowles MEP most influential woman in European finance

7.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 26th Jul 2010

Sharon Bowles MEP is Chair of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Parliament

South East Lib Dem MEP Sharon Bowles has been named the most influential woman in European finance, according to a Top 100 list published in the Financial News.

This year's list features a number of regulatory chiefs tasked with preventing a new financial crisis. Top of the list is Deutsche Bank's investment banking chief Anshu Jain. Bank of England boss Mervyn King came in fifth.

Despite ongoing efforts to make the financial sector more gender-balanced, only four women appear on the list, with Sharon leading the pack.

Sharon, who chairs the European Parliament's powerful Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, said: "I am flattered to have been named as the most influential woman in European finance. There has been a flurry of new regulation this year on the back of the financial crisis and last week my work to rein in bankers' bonuses was passed in to EU law".

"In my role as Chair of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, I will continue to do my best to help shape new, effective, and fair legislation to help prevent another financial crisis."