Did you know what it takes to become ranked as the most influential woman in US finance? Almost the same qualities and traits it takes for a man. Some of them are competence, knowledge, creativity, perseverance, and even a little bit of luck thrown in, to boot. Through the excellent leadership demonstrated in both their deeds and words, these women constantly inspire other women across the country to join the US finance industry.

Although women lack representation at various levels of the US finance industry, it does not mean that they do not have a place in US finance. You should know that a lot has changed for women who work in finance, though there is still plenty of room for improvement. Did you know that women are still under-represented, especially in the top echelons of US finance, at about 25%?

However, there is good news, as well. Their clout and influence have never been greater, and their contributions and insights are more in demand. You will be pleased to know that many women in US finance are very successful. Also, note that these women are paving the way for more women to enter this male-dominated field.

The women on the list are all based in the US. Most of the women represented on our list have shown an expert ability to adapt to changing and dynamic markets, strengthen organizational procedures while piloting new initiatives, which is impressive.
Some criteria for inclusion in our list were positions in investment research, money management, banking, trading, financial regulation, brokerage, and family offices, etc.

There is no doubt that the exemplary and visionary leadership these women have demonstrated has made a considerable impact on the success and profitability of their companies, and this will continue to drive creativity, innovation, and growth now more than ever.

The women on this list of most influential women are certainly at the top of their field and have set the bar high for the next generation of female superstars in the financial sector. However, note that at the same time, these women are still constantly expanding their sphere of influence.

Women are doing some amazing things in finance. For example, a soft drink executive is now leading the healthy eating movement, and a former computer executive is trying to raise $1 billion to pursue opportunities in China.

Note that all these women have stellar resumes and are certainly at the top of their game. Here are our top 10 most influential women in US finance.

Dalia Blass

Dalia is the nation’s leading regulator of SEC-Registered advisors in charge of greater than $84 trillion in investments and retirement funds. (Barrons). Learn more

Joyce Chang

Joyce is a well-known analyst in charge of JP Morgan’s research operation (Barrons). Learn More

Sonal Desai

Sonal currently managing $156 billion worth of fixed-income assets at Franklin Templeton (Barrons). Learn More

Jodi Devito

Jodi DeVito serves as managing director of prime services at Credit Suisse and has spent almost 18 years at the firm (Barrons). Learn More

Carla Harris

Carla Harris made her mark at Morgan Stanley while becoming the best selling author and a famous gospel singer (Barrons). Learn More

Stephanie Kelton

Stephanie Kelton has been very influential in controversial topics such as climate change and government debt (Barrons). Learn more

Ros L’Esperance

Ros L’Esperance’s claim to fame is being one of the very few women to lead a major Wall Street firm’s global investment banking division (Barrons). Learn More

Saira Malik

Saira Malik is the head of global equities at Nuveen and is responsible for $383 billion of the company’s $1.1 trillion in assets under management (Barrons). Learn More

Mary Meeker

Best known for her annual Internet Trends Report, which she has published every year since 1995. She is the founder of the venture capital firm Bond Capital (Barrons).Learn More

Suze Orman

Orman founded the Suze Orman Financial Group in 1987. She had a show on CNBC called The Suze Orman Show that ran from 2002 to 2015 (Barrons). Learn more

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About The New York Institute of Finance

The New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) is a global leader in professional training for financial services and related industries. NYIF courses cover everything from investment banking, asset pricing, insurance and market structure to financial modeling, treasury operations, and accounting. The New York Institute of Finance has a faculty of industry leaders and offers a range of program delivery options, including self-study, online courses, and in-person classes. Founded by the New York Stock Exchange in 1922, NYIF has trained over 250,000 professionals online and in-class, in over 120 countries.

See all of NYIF’s training and qualifications here.