Women Changing Finance

What if some of the biggest opportunities to create impact alongside financial returns are in the markets investors still hesitate to enter? In this first episode of Season 3 on Women Changing Finance, Eliza Foo, Director of Impact Investing at Temasek, one of the largest investors in Asia, explains how Temasek invests for impact: looking for market-rate financial returns while holding a high bar for measurable impact, and investing in businesses where commercial success directly drives better outcomes for people and planet. We explore what Eliza is seeing across emerging markets: from India's deep entrepreneurial ecosystem and digital infrastructure to growing momentum in financial inclusion and climate solutions across Southeast Asia. Technology is helping make essential products and services more affordable, while a new generation of Asian investors and family offices is increasingly looking at how purpose can sit alongside investment. Temasek has understood that capital alone isn't enough. Eliza shares how collaboration and market building are inherent to her job, working with fellow investors and ecosystem partners, sharing knowledge and building capabilities within the sector. The opportunities are real, the risks need to be understood, and we know much more today about what works. It's time to put that knowledge, and more capital into action. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also * Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org [https://womenchangingfinance.org/] * Read Eliza's full bio [https://www.convergence.finance/about/governance/3XmN5Adv8dWApEeH51SQYe] * Follow Eliza on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizafoo-sg/] To go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: * Temasek — https://www.temasek.com.sg/ [https://www.temasek.com.sg/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Temasek Trust — https://www.temasektrust.org.sg/ [https://www.temasektrust.org.sg/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Solugen — https://solugen.com/ [https://solugen.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Ola Electric — https://www.olaelectric.com/ [https://www.olaelectric.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – NPCI — https://www.npci.org.in/ * GIIN Impact Lab — https://thegiin.org/impact-lab/ [https://thegiin.org/impact-lab/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP) — https://ciip.com.sg/ [https://ciip.com.sg/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Ecosperity Week — https://www.ecosperity.sg/ [https://www.ecosperity.sg/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) – FAST-P — https://www.fast-partnership.com/ * Out of Poverty – Paul Polak — https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/575944/out-of-poverty-by-paul-polak/9781605092768 * A Different Kind of Power – Jacinda Ardern — https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/744301/a-different-kind-of-power-by-jacinda-ardern/ Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network [https://impactalpha.com/podcasts].

Women are among those most affected by climate change. But what if we've been telling the wrong story? In this episode, Sana Kapadia, Chief Catalyst at Heading for Change, shares what she's seeing in many countries: women are already creating many of the most innovative solutions to climate change. The real challenge is that climate finance hasn't caught up. Together, we explore what it really means to invest at the intersection of climate and gender, and why this is about making better investment decisions. Sana shares how her team is using catalytic capital to demonstrate what's possible, building a global portfolio of climate funds that back women-led climate solutions, from clean energy and sustainable supply chains to nature-based innovations. In our conversation, we discuss why a gender lens helps investors uncover innovation and opportunities that are often overlooked, and how grants, investments, and ecosystem building can work together to unlock greater impact. This episode shows why and how finance can move beyond seeing women as beneficiaries and start recognising them as leaders, innovators, and agents of change. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also * Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org [https://womenchangingfinance.org/] * Follow Sana on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanarkapadia/] To go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: * Heading for Change — https://www.headingforchange.org/ * GenderSmart — https://www.gendersmartinvesting.org/ * Wharton Social Impact Initiative — https://socialimpact.wharton.upenn.edu/ * Artha Networks — https://www.arthanetworks.com/  [https://www.arthanetworks.com/] * Invest for Better — https://investforbetter.org/ * Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) — https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/ * IDRC (International Development Research Centre) — https://idrc-crdi.ca/ * Earthshot Prize — https://earthshotprize.org/ * Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet (book/course by Thích Nhất Hạnh) — https://plumvillage.org/books/zen-and-the-art-of-saving-the-planet [https://plumvillage.org/courses/zen-and-the-art-of-saving-the-planet] * Empireworld (book by Sathnam Sanghera) — https://www.sathnam.com/empireworld/ * The History of the World in 21 Women (book by Jenni Murray) — https://oneworld-publications.com/work/a-history-of-the-world-in-21-women/  [https://oneworld-publications.com/work/a-history-of-the-world-in-21-women/] Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network [https://impactalpha.com/podcasts/].

Brazil is becoming one of the most interesting places in the world for impact and climate finance. In this episode, Fernanda de Arruda Camargo, founding partner of Wright Capital Wealth Management shares her perspective on the country's evolving ecosystem. With over three decades of experience in financial markets, Fernanda shares examples of how investors, regulators, development banks, and entrepreneurs have successfully collaborated and unlocked significant amounts of capital for sustainable development. She highlights how public funding has attracted private investors to innovative approaches supporting regenerative agriculture, bioeconomy, and nature-based solutions. We also discuss how she helps wealth owners align investments with their values while still pursuing financial returns. This conversation offers valuable lessons and practical examples from one of the most dynamic markets, showing solutions that simultaneously restore ecosystems and strengthen communities. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also * Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org [https://womenchangingfinance.org/] * Follow Fernanda on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernanda-camargo-b29bb69/] To go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: * Wright Capital Wealth Management — https://www.wright.capital/en/ * Brazilian Financial and Capital Markets Association (ANBIMA) — https://www.anbima.com.br [https://www.anbima.com.br/] * National Development Bank of Brazil (BNDES) — https://www.bndes.gov.br [https://www.bndes.gov.br/] * EcoInvest Brasil — https://www.gov.br/tesouronacional/pt-br/fomento-ao-investimento/eco-invest-brasil * Vox Capital — https://voxcapital.com.br [https://voxcapital.com.br/] * MOV Investimentos — https://movinvestimentos.com.br [https://movinvestimentos.com.br/] * Belterra Agroforestry — https://www.belterra.com.br/en * Fundação Vale (Vale Foundation) — https://www.fundacaovale.org [https://www.fundacaovale.org/] * Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender by David R. Hawkins — https://veritaspub.com/product/letting-go/ [https://veritaspub.com/product/letting-go-the-pathway-of-surrender-book/] Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network [https://impactalpha.com/podcasts/].

What does it take to finance a country's transition to a more sustainable economy? In this episode, Seçil Yıldız, Sustainability and Impact Leader at the Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye, speaks about the role development finance can play in accelerating environmental and social progress. Seçil shares how her team works at the intersection of finance, policy, and impact and how they help channel capital into renewable energy, circular economy initiatives, water resilience projects, and businesses that are creating better opportunities for women. We also explore why development banks are often the first institutions willing to finance emerging technologies and ideas before they become mainstream. Most importantly, Seçil reminds us that sustainability is not simply about reducing harm. It is about creating long-term prosperity for people, communities, and future generations. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also * Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org [https://womenchangingfinance.org/] * Follow Seçil on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/seyildiz/] Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network [https://impactalpha.com/podcasts/].

Why do less than 2% of investments go to female founders globally? And what are we missing because of it? In this episode, Tokunboh Ishmael, one of Africa's leading voices in impact investing and gender lens finance, explores the realities of investing to improve lives across Africa. As co-founder of Alitheia Capital, managing over $250 million in assets, Tokunboh has spent nearly two decades investing in businesses that expand access to finance, clean energy, and economic opportunity. In this conversation, she shares examples of what success looks like: * helping grow a small financial services company into a national player serving underserved entrepreneurs, * supporting a farmer aggregation business connecting West African farmers to international markets, * backing a woman-led manufacturing company that now powers surrounding communities while creating jobs and export opportunities. This discussion touches on why diversity leads to better business decisions and why impact investing done well makes sense from all perspectives: economic, social, and environmental. Please review the episode, share your feedback, and subscribe to the podcast! You can also * Visit our website: womenchangingfinance.org [https://womenchangingfinance.org/] * Follow Tokunboh on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tokunbohishmael/] * Read Tokunboh's full bio [https://tokunbohishmael.com/about-me/] To go further, here are some of the references mentioned during the episode: * Alitheia Capital — https://alitheia.com/ * Alitheia IDF - https://www.alitheiaidf.com/ * 2X Global (2X Framework) — https://www.2xglobal.org/ * The Earthshot Prize — https://earthshotprize.org/ * The Atomic Human by Neil Lawrence — https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455130/the-atomic-human-by-lawrence-neil-d/9781802062106 [https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455184/the-atomic-human-by-lawrence-neil/9780241629472] * Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin — https://gabriellezevin.com/tomorrowx3/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/657117/tomorrow-and-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-by-gabrielle-zevin/] * Ready Player One by Ernest Cline — https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/209887/ready-player-one-by-ernest-cline/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/215702/ready-player-one-by-ernest-cline/] Women Changing Finance is part of the Impact Alpha Podcast Network [https://impactalpha.com/podcasts/].