By Eigen Escario
While corporate America as a whole has made significant strides in including diverse perspectives at the table, women continue to face unique challenges in leadership, networking, and career advancement. Four Owen alumnae: Mariam Malidze (MSF’24), Crystal Zheng (MSF’23), Chinenye Okafor-Ifedebe (MBA’24), and Vedanti Shah (MBA’22) share their experience of navigating the finance industry as women.
Mariam Malidze: From Law to Finance—Navigating a Career at the World Bank
Mariam Malidze
Mariam Malidze earned a Master of Laws (LLM) from New Vision University and began her career practicing law in Georgia. After working several years in law, she decided to pursue a Master of Science in Finance at Vanderbilt University, pivoting her career to the finance industry.
“Both law and finance are male-dominated fields, and as a woman, I often felt the need to assert my expertise more deliberately,” Malidze says. “I have been in rooms where my comments were overlooked until repeated by a male colleague. It’s frustrating, but it also reinforces the importance of persistence and making your voice heard.”
Malidze also discusses the importance of community as a source of inspiration and empowerment.
“It was eye-opening to attend the Women in Business Association (WBA) conference and hear these established women discuss their journeys and the unique barriers they faced in the finance industry,” Malidze said. “Women in any profession will inevitably encounter biases and moments of unfairness, but not every challenge can or needs to be fought head-on. It is important to choose your battles wisely and stay focused on your goals.”
Supportive networks in these spaces are crucial to uplift individuals to achieve their full potential and leverage their unique perspectives for valuable contributions at work. Malidze stresses the importance of finding and connecting with other individuals who lift her up to her best potential.
“Women supporting women is crucial, but we also need male allies who recognize these biases and work to address them,” Malidze said. “My hope is that this goes beyond the one month when we celebrate the history of the amazing women that came before and that all these highlights are supported by action throughout the year.”
Chinenye Okafor-Ifedebe: Balancing Finance Careers and Motherhood at Procter & Gamble
Chinenye Okafor-Ifedebe
One of the main challenges for working women, especially in the field of finance, is balancing personal values and professional commitment. Okafor-Ifedebe shares her experience of working in finance while being a mother to her two sons.
“One thing that being a mom has taught me is learning how to multitask. I have to wear many hats – even beyond being a mom, but also being a wife, a sister, a daughter,” Okafor-Ifedebe said. “That ability to multitask is crucial in finance, where we’re constantly juggling competing priorities. It taught me to say no when necessary and to prioritize my well-being – I need to be my best self for my family and my career.”
As an immigrant from Nigeria, Okafor-Ifedebe also talks about the importance of meaningful connections and cultivating a strong support system to succeed professionally and personally.
“It takes a village. I’ve had mentors – both men and women – who’ve advocated for me in rooms I wasn’t in, and that makes all the difference,” Okafor-Ifedebe said. “I think it’s also important to emphasize the allyship from men in advocating for equity, fair policies, inclusive leadership, and challenging outdated norms that not only support individuals, but create real, lasting change.”
After reflecting on her journey at work and at home, Okafor-Ifedebe recalls words of wisdom that she’s received and would give to others who relate to her journey.
“One of my mentors told me, ‘You can have it all, but not all at once.’ That really stuck with me because it helped me understand that balance looks different at different stages of life,” Okafor-Ifedebe said. “I would tell other women: don’t be afraid to ask for help. Advocate for yourself and take up space in rooms where decisions are made.”
Vedanti Shah: Transitioning from Biochemistry to a Career in Finance and Leadership at Jefferies
Vedanti Shah
Pivoting from Biochemistry to Finance and a cross-continental move, Shah recalls her entrepreneurship experience back in India and the importance of cultivating confidence and competency early on in her career.
“Coming from a family filled with entrepreneurs, I was taught to speak my mind really early on,” Shah said.
On the topic of networking in the finance industry, especially in informal settings, Shah shares her experiences navigating these spaces.
“Networking in finance can often be structured in ways that are very male-oriented,” she says.
Shah explains that many networking opportunities in finance are conducted in informal settings such as going golfing or attending sporting events. “While some women thrive in these settings, generally, their approach to networking is marked with intentionality, structure and relationship building. This slow burn approach doesn’t really yield immediate results in finance whereas often the most high-reward opportunities are brokered in informal settings.”
Despite these challenges, Shah stands firm in her convictions and finds alternate ways to connect with mentors and supporters in her workplace.
“I seek out informal opportunities to speak to a managing director – if I see them in their office, I will swing by, and ask for a 15-minute chat,” Shah said. “That’s my opportunity to drive the conversation the way I want to do it.”
Crystal Zheng: Overcoming Finance Industry Challenges as an Investment Banking Analyst at Leerink Partners
Crystal Zheng
While Zheng is originally from China, she had an early start in the world of finance through undergraduate internships at Deltek and ING. Zheng reflects on how she leveraged her background to achieve early success with a pipeline to a career in finance after Owen.
“Being an immigrant taught me resilience,” Zheng said. “I had to work twice as hard to prove myself, but it also gave me a unique perspective and a strong work ethic.”
Zheng also shares insights for important considerations to succeed in finance.
“The best investment you can make is in yourself – be proactive, seek mentorship, and don’t be afraid to pivot when necessary,” Zheng said. “Sometimes you feel like you have to prove yourself twice as much just to be seen as equally competent. It can be exhausting, but persistence is key, especially in an industry that’s still heavily male-dominated.”
A key component of Zheng’s successes and impactful lessons are attributed to the mentorship and sponsorship with other women in finance as well as supporters in the workplace.
“One of my mentors told me early on, ‘Seek out people who will speak your name in rooms you’re not in.’ That advice has been invaluable because your success is often tied to who advocates for you,” Zheng said. “I had to learn that building relationships isn’t just about networking – it’s about finding people who truly believe in your potential and are willing to support you.”
Collective Challenges & Victories With Careers in Finance
Even coming from different walks of life, these Owen alumnae share parallel experiences in finance, whether it’s workplace struggles or fortified resilience. With this mutual understanding, each of these women agree that as we celebrate Women’s History Month in the month of March, it should be a time of reflection and contemplation towards a brighter future.
“I think of it as a celebration of all individuals that identify as women who have constantly broken barriers, that have, in one way or another, paved a path for people like me to achieve things,” Shah said. “And, you know, they have done this without any expectation for recognition. More often than not, their contributions go unnoticed, so we need to hold space for that.”
“True progress happens when we all invest in breaking barriers together,” Malidze said.
Interested in launching a career in finance? Discover how Vanderbilt Business can help you break into the industry with a Master of Science in Finance. Explore the program today.