WISE Global Impact
President

Heather Ibrahim-Leathers is a financial engineer and expert in fixed-income structured products. A graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, she enjoyed a distinguished career in alternative investments at JPMorgan and Credit Suisse before turning her focus to social impact. As President and Founder of the Global Fund for Widows, Ms. Ibrahim-Leathers has raised over $10 million to tackle widowhood, a key source of global poverty. Through her microbank financial inclusion innovation, she has directly economically empowered over 115,000 beneficiaries by establishing over 300 proprietary microbanks around the world.

In addition to her financial acumen, Ms. Ibrahim-Leathers is a passionate advocate for widows’ rights, regularly speaking at the UN Security Council, US Congress, and the House of Lords. Her strategic advocacy led to the adoption of the world’s first UN General Assembly resolution AR 76/252, calling for global social protections for widows.

Recognized for her groundbreaking work in financial inclusion and women’s rights, Ms. Ibrahim-Leathers has earned multiple accolades, including a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize 2021, Reputation Poll’s 100 Most Reputable Africans 2025, Crain’s 2023 Notable Nonprofit Leaders, and the Business Council for Peace Women Forward – Financial Catalyst Award.