The past decade has proved to be a tumultuous time in global politics with Brexit, the credit crisis and even #MeToo capturing our attention along the way.

Last year's Forbes Most Powerful People List – an accolade handed to those wielding the most influence in international affairs and business – shows we live in a very different world to that of ten years ago.

In 2018, the list was topped by Chinese Premiere Xi Jinping, reflecting Beijing's heightening economic and diplomatic might and featured more more high-profile women.

Fortunes have been mixed for those who made the the same list in 2009, with fewer than half of the Top 10 still in place today. 

We take a look at the figures who made the list and see what they are doing now, highlighting just how much the world has changed…

Number 1 – Barack Obama

Barack Obama was riding high in the polls in 2009 before political wrangling in Washington and the persistent financial turmoil began to take some of the gloss off his election win.

Now out of the spotlight, Obama and his wife Michelle have taken on the role as ambassadors for progressive causes such as international development and girls' rights with the Obama Foundation.

To their credit, they have (mostly) avoided becoming embroiled in an ugly war of words with the White House's current incumbent Donald Trump.

Number 2 – Hu Jintao

The former President of the People's Republic of China stepped down in 2013

Number 3 – Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently maintained his position in Forbes's most powerful people since taking power in 2000.

The strongman's grip on the Kremlin remains firm but a number high-profile incidents – including the Salisbury poisonings and the annexation of Crimea in 2014 – have severely harmed his credibility with world leaders.

Number 4 – Ben Bernanke

The former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve oversaw the response to the US banking crisis.

Number 5 – Sergey Brin and Larry Page

The Google founders have seen their company grow into one the dominant forces in Silicon Valley.

Number 6 – Carlos Slim

The Mexican communications entrepreneur became the richest person in the world from 2010 to 2013

Number 7 – Rupert Murdoch

The 88-year-old media mogul is still a dominant force in the industry despite handing control to his sons, James and Lachlan.

Number 8 – Michael T. Duke

Michael Duke became the CEO of Walmart in 2009  and stepped down four years later.

Number 9 – Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud

The Kingdom's absolute ruler died in 2015, prompting calls for Saudi Arabia to modernise for the 21st century, and in particular, by bringing women's rights in line with the rest of the world.

And the oil-rich nation appeared to be moving in the right path until the brutal murder of dissident journalist Jamal Kashoggi derailed efforts to change its image.

Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is still in the driving seat but it remains to be seen if his reputation has been irreparably damaged.

Number 10 – Bill Gates

Worth an estimated $96.5bn (£74bn), the former Microsoft CEO now oversees the Bill and Melina Foundation which aims to reduce extreme poverty and to improve healthcare for billions of people in developing countries.

Number 11 – Pope Benedict XVI

With a nickname like 'God's Rottweilwer', Pope Benedict XVI was never going to win over staunch critics of the Catholic Church as it continued to grapple with historic child abuse cases.

Known for his strict interpretation of Catholic teachings, Benedict was eventually succeeded by the more conciliatory Pope Francis who continues to be an extremely popular appointment.

Number 12  – Silvio Berlusconi

Berlusconi endured a torrid start to the decade following a much-publicised trial for soliciting sex of an underage prostitute know as 'Ruby the Heartstealer' in 2012.

He was eventually found not guilty but the incident proved a scandal too many – even for the Italian public.

He was booted out as Prime Minister before setting up his own populist party Forza Italia in 2013.

Number 13 – Jeffery R. Immelt

Number 14 –  Warren Buffett

Tycoon Warren Buffett was once the world's richest man, but has since been stripped of the title.

The Oracle of Omaha sits on a massive $82.5m fortune, surpassed only by Silicon Valley giants Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates.

Also know for his philanthropic streak, the 88-year-old promises to give away 99 percent of his fortune to charitable causes when he dies.

Number 15 – Angela Merkel

The intervening decade has seen the German Chancellor take the reigns as Europe's de facto leader, but her laudable move to open Germany's borders to over a million refugees came at great political cost.

Obituaries for her political career have proved premature and it looks increasingly likely she will cling on until 2021 after she ruled out standing in another election for the centre-right Christian Democratic Party.

Number 16 – Laurence Fink

Number 17 – Hillary Rodham Clinton

Clinton's rise to Democratic presidential nominee and subsequent loss to Donald Trump has been a bitter pill to swallow for the former First Lady.

She was forced to endure taunts of 'lock her up' from her Republican rival and was eventually pipped to the nomination despite winning the popular vote from the American public who never quite took her to their hearts.

Number 18 – Lloyd Blankfein

Number 19 – Li Changchun

Number 20 – Michael Boomberg

Number 21 – Timothy Geithner

Number 22 – Rex Tillerson

Number 23 – Li Ka-shing

Number 24 – Kim Jong Il

Number 25 – Jean-Claude Trichet

Number 26 – Maksaaki Shirakawa

Number 27 – Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed al Nahyan

Number 28 – Akio Toyoda

Number 29 – Gordon Brown

The Labour leader – who is the UK's only 2009 entry – was at the helm for only a short period before the economic crisis of 2008 threatened the collapse of British banking system, including RBS and Barclays.

An unsuccessful election in 2010 saw a hung parliament and the Labour leader duly resigned from the party before eventually quitting as an MP in 2015.

His legacy may now be best remembered for his passionate defence of the Union during the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014.

Number 30 -James S. Dimon

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