This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Toronto chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
When I took my first finance class in undergrad, I thought I’d uncovered the ultimate game. Stocks, bonds, capital markets – the mechanics of making money grow fascinated me. And yes, I loved that thrill. Who wouldn’t?
But something was missing.
Portfolio management fascinated me, but it didn’t feel like mine. I didn’t just want to move money—I wanted it to mean something. Not just for a client’s bottom line, not just for a firm’s returns, but for the world.
It took time to put words to that quiet frustration. But I knew one thing early on: Even if I mastered the game, even if I won big—what was the point if the money never reached the people and places that truly needed it?
The turning point came when I discovered the women quietly revolutionizing finance. Not by playing the game better, but by rewriting its rules entirely. Their stories didn’t just inspire me – they gave me permission to demand more from my career.
Marlene Engelhorn: The Heiress who redistributed power
When the Austrian millionaire inherited €25 million, she didn’t just invest it—she turned wealth into a weapon for systemic change. Engelhorn donated 90% of her fortune to climate justice and tax equality initiatives, funding grassroots movements across Europe.
Why it matters: She proved capital isn’t just about accumulation—it’s about legacy. Her “Tax Me Now” initiative pressures governments to close loopholes for the ultra-rich.
Roshaneh Zafar: The Microfinance Revolutionary
In 1996, Zafar left her World Bank job to launch Kashf Foundation, Pakistan’s first microfinance institution for women. Today, Kashf has disbursed over $1.2 billion in loans—with a 99% repayment rate—funding everything from solar panels to female-run textile cooperatives.
The ripple effect: Every $1 lent to a Kashf borrower increases household incomes by 347% within three years (UNDP data).
Simone Maini: The RegTech Disruptor
As CEO of Elliptic, Maini didn’t just join the crypto boom—she reinvented its accountability. Her blockchain forensic tools track illicit transactions, helping banks and governments shut down dark-web markets.
The bigger picture: Her work proves compliance isn’t about red tape—it’s about building ethical infrastructure for the digital age—something that inspired me to study FinTech.
Learning about these women was my turning point. Suddenly, finance was about directing money, technology and intellect to projects with huge social and intrinsic value. Every ESG report, every RegTech algorithm, every micro-loan was a chance to redirect capital where it mattered.
Now, as I pursue my Masters in FinTech, I know exactly what I want to focus on: where technology meets sustainable finance. I’ll be diving into climate finance and ESG integration, through programs like Imperial’s Centre for Climate Finance and Investment. The Greenhouse Accelerator appeals to me precisely because it supports tangible solutions—exactly the kind of work I want to be part of.