106. Microfinance 101 with Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women's World Banking

In this episode of The Wall Street Skinny, we dive deep into the world of financial inclusion with Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking. Microfinance has long been hailed as a key tool for empowering women in emerging markets, but as Mary Ellen explains, true financial empowerment requires far more than just access to microloans.

We explore how Women’s World Banking is rethinking financial inclusion—looking beyond small-scale loans to other necessities like savings, insurance, and digital banking. Mary Ellen breaks down the complexities of creating sustainable economic growth, highlighting the importance of building financial resilience, promoting long-term wealth creation, and ensuring women have the tools to navigate both personal and global economic challenges.

Throughout the conversation, we discuss the vital role of financial literacy, access to capital, and how tailored financial services can create lasting change for women entrepreneurs and their communities. This episode challenges the traditional view of microfinance and dives into the broader strategy needed to empower women economically—unlocking opportunities for sustainable, inclusive development.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on what it really takes to build a financially inclusive future for women around the world.

Learn more about Women’s World Banking: https://www.womensworldbanking.org/

Mary Ellen Iskenderian is the President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, a global nonprofit dedicated to serving the nearly one billion women excluded by the formal financial sector. She joined Women’s World Banking in 2006 and leads its global team in partnering with financial institutions and policymakers around the world to design and develop solutions and programs that facilitate systemic change for women. Additionally, she oversees Women’s World Banking’s asset management business that makes direct equity investments in financial service providers as a means to advance women in the workplace and as customers.

Mary Ellen is a passionate advocate for women’s economic empowerment through greater access to finance; she urges the financial services industry and business community to

For a 14 day FREE Trial of Macabacus, click HERE

Shop our Self Paced Courses:

Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HERE
Fixed Income Sales & Trading HERE

Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.