Halla Tomasdottir, a businesswoman and investor, has become the new president of Iceland after winning the Nordic nation island’s presidential election, emerging atop a crowded field of candidates in which the top three finishers were women.

• Tomasdottir defeated former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir after winning 34.3 per cent of the vote, according to local reports. 
• Tomasdottir, 55, campaigned above party politics and could help open discussions on fundamental issues such as the effect of social media on the mental health of young people, Iceland’s development as a tourist destination and the role of artificial intelligence.
• She will replace President Gudni Th. Johannesson, who did not seek re-election after two four-year terms. Tomasdottir will take office on August 1.