A Defiant Optimist Transforming Global Finance (with Durreen Shahnaz)

05/14/25 • 80 min

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

One Shot, Long Life!

One shot, Long Life! is a podcast focused on The Global Health Advocacy Incubator's...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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/

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.

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

One Shot, Long Life!

One shot, Long Life! is a podcast focused on The Global Health Advocacy Incubator's...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Previous Episode

Leading with Purpose Across Borders (with Barbara Martin Coppola)

Barbara Martin Coppola, former CEO of Decathlon, joins us for a powerful conversation on what it means to lead with purpose in today’s fast-changing world.

From her early career in tech at Google and Samsung to leading IKEA's digital transformation and then guiding Decathlon through cultural and strategic reinvention, Barbara shares the lessons she’s learned across continents, industries, and leadership roles.

In this episode, we explore: