A Defiant Optimist Transforming Global Finance (with Durreen Shahnaz)

This week on the Positive Leadership Podcast, I amjoined by Professor Durreen Shahnaz, a pioneering social entrepreneur, impact investor, and relentless advocate for women’s empowerment.  From growing up in a post-war Bangladesh to becoming the first Bangladeshi woman on Wall Street, Durreen’s journey defies conventions. She left investment banking to join Grameen Bank, and went on to found Impact Investment Exchange (IIX)—home to the world’s first social stock exchange and the groundbreaking Women’s Livelihood Bond.  In this powerful conversation, Durreen shares: How her upbringing shaped her belief in using finance for good What it means to be a defiant optimist in a system built for exclusion The bold vision behind IIX and the practical ways it"s transforming lives across the Global South How young leaders can challenge the status quo and lead with purpose  Durreen’s work has shifted the paradigm of global finance—proving that profit and purpose can coexist, and that real change comes from the margins.  🎙️ Want more inspiring stories of courageous leadership and positive change?  Check out these standout episodes: Indra Nooyi – Driving performance with purpose: https://thepositiveleadershippodcast.buzzsprout.com/1798971/episodes/14002537-driving-performance-with-purpose-with-indra-nooyi  Hannah Ritchie – Not the End of the World: https://thepositiveleadershippodcast.buzzsprout.com/1798971/episodes/15848278-not-the-end-of-the-world-with-hannah-ritchie  Daniel Goleman – Optimizing your performance with emotional intelligence: https://thepositiveleadershippodcast.buzzsprout.com/1798971/episodes/14940410-optimizing-your-performance-with-emotional-intelligence-with-daniel-goleman   Subscribe now to JP"s free monthly newsletter "Positive Leadership and You" on LinkedIn to transform your positive impact today: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/positive-leadership-you-6970390170017669121/