Sarah Palin, governor Chris Christie, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, defeated Republican rival Ben Carson and a slew of private sector executives are among the contenders for top positions in Donald Trump’s cabinet.

A list of 41 candidates compiled by the President-elect’s transition team has been obtained by BuzzFeed News, covering 13 departments that will make up his powerful cabinet.

Ms Palin, the former Alaska governor who unsuccessfully ran as vice-president in 2008, is one of seven possibilities for Secretary of the Interior, including governors Jan Brewer and Mary Fallin, venture capitalist Robert Grady, oil executive Forrest Lucas and entrepreneur Harold Hamm.

Sarah Palin compares Donald Trump's election run to Brexit

Mr Christie, the New Jersey governor damaged by the “Bridgegate” scandal, is in contention for the positions of Attorney General and Secretary of Commerce; while Newt Gingrich could be made Secretary of State.

Mr Giuliani is also up for Attorney General while Dr Carson, who bowed out of the Republican nomination race earlier this year, is listed for the education and health briefs.

A hotly tipped option for Secretary of Defence is Mike Flynn, a retired general and former head of the Defence Intelligence Agency, who has been Mr Trump’s chief defence policy adviser during the campaign.

The list, which is not final, includes several high-profile figures from the energy and banking industries, following Mr Trump’s anti-“politician” rhetoric during his campaign. Among them are oil, gas and steel executives, a venture capitalist, bankers, investors and financiers from the private sector.

President Trump protests Show all 20 1 /20 President Trump protests President Trump protests Patrons hold a sign as people march by while protesting the election of Republican Donald Trump as the president of the United States in downtown Los Angeles, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators rally following the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators march following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests Thousands of protesters rallied across the United States expressing shock and anger over Donald Trump's election, vowing to oppose divisive views they say helped the Republican billionaire win the presidency AFP/Getty Images President Trump protests Demonstrators protest outside the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois Getty President Trump protests A police officer aims a launcher after demonstrators threw projectiles toward a line of officers during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests An officer examines a vandalized police vehicle as demonstrators riot in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators take over the Hollywood 101 Freeway just north of Los Angeles City Hall in protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests A woman holds up a sign reading 'Trump you are an Idiot' as demonstrators gather during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump outside the City Hall building in Los Angeles, California EPA President Trump protests A masked demonstrator gestures toward a police line during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, near the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada Reuters President Trump protests Musician Lagy Gaga stages a protest against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on a sanitation truck outside Trump Tower in New York City Getty President Trump protests A woman yells as she takes part in a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against President-elect Donald Trumpin Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests University of California, Davis students protest on campus in Davis, California, U.S. following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests An Oakland police officer checks out damage after a window was broken by protesters at a car dealership in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests A protester faces a police line in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests President-elect Donald Trumpís victory set off multiple protests AP President Trump protests A fire burns during protests in Oakland, Calif AP

Several of the candidates were praised by Mr Trump in his victory speech on Wednesday, including possible Attorney General, Defence Secretary, or Office of Management or Budget director Jeff Sessions.

Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee chairman listed as the sole candidate for Chief of Staff, was also named, with Mr Trump calling him “a very special person”.

“We have got tremendously talented people up here, I want to tell you, it’s been very, very special,” said the President-elect.

He was due to meet Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday to start the formal process of transition ahead of his inauguration in January.

The contenders for Mr Trump’s cabinet

Attorney General:

Gov Chris Christie

Attorney General Pam Bondi

Sen Jeff Sessions

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Mr Trump and New Jersey governor Chris Christie on election night (Reuters)

Secretary of Commerce:

Chris Christie

Former Nucor CEO Dan DiMicco

Businessman Lew Eisenberg

Former gov Mike Huckabee

Sen David Perdue

Former Sen Jim Talent

Mike Huckabee – a possible Commerce Secretary? (Reuters)

Agriculture Secretary:

Gov Sam Brownback

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives CEO Chuck Conner

Gov Dave Heineman

Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller

Former Georgia gov Sonny Perdue

Secretary of Education:

Ben Carson

Hoover Institution fellow William Evers

Ben Carson endorsed Mr Trump at the billionaire's Mars-A-Lago beach club (Getty Images)

Secretary of Energy:

Venture capitalist Robert Grady

Businessman Harold Hamm

Secretary of Health and Human Services:

Former New Jersey state Sen Richard Bagger

Ben Carson

Newt Gingrich

Gov Rick Scott

Donald Trump with Newt Gingrich (Getty)

Secretary of Homeland Security:

Chris Christie

Sheriff David Clarke

Secretary of the Interior:

Gov Jan Brewer

Gov Mary Fallin

Robert Grady

Harold Hamm

Oil executive Forrest Lucas

Rep Cynthia Lummis

Former Gov Sarah Palin

Donald Trump and Sarah Palin at a restaurant in New York in 2011 (Picture: Getty)

Secretary of Defense:

Former Gen Mike Flynn

Stephen Hadley

Rep Duncan Hunter Jr

Jeff Sessions

Former Sen Jim Talent

Secretary of State:

John Bolton

Sen Bob Corker

Newt Gingrich

Treasury Secretary:

Rep Jeb Hensarling

Businessman Carl Icahn

Banker Steven Mnuchin

Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus (Getty)

Chief of Staff:

Reince Priebus

Director of Office of Management and Budget:

Jeff Sessions

Secretary of Labor:

EEOC commissioner Victoria Lipnic

Veterans Affairs:

Rep Jeff Miller

White House Counsel: