Mary Ellen Iskenderian
Mary Ellen Iskenderian | |
|---|---|
| Education | MBA from Yale School of Management; Bachelor of Science in International Economics from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service |
| Occupation(s) | President and CEO of Women's World Banking |
| Known for | Microfinance and financial inclusion |
Mary Ellen Iskenderian serves as the president and chief executive officer of Women's World Banking, recognized as the largest worldwide alliance of microfinance organizations and banking institutions. She is also a member of the board at the Hewlett Foundation.
Her expertise in microfinance and financial inclusion has been featured in publications such as Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Business Review blog.
Education and career
Iskenderian earned her MBA from the Yale School of Management and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Economics from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Prior to her tenure at Women's World Banking, she held senior management positions at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, including roles as Director of Partnership Development and Director overseeing the Global Financial Markets Portfolio. She is a board member of Kashf Microfinance Bank in Pakistan and maintains permanent membership with the Council on Foreign Relations. Additionally, she provides advisory support to the Clinton Global Initiative and serves as a judge for the Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards. In 2011, she participated as a member of the United States delegation to the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Women and the Economy Summit.
Among her accolades are NYU Stern's Distinguished Citi Fellowship in Leadership and Ethics, the Isabel Benham Award from the Women's Bond Club, and the Women's Finance Award granted by Lucerne University in Switzerland. Earlier in her professional journey, she gained experience working at investment bank Lehman Brothers.