Welcoming the Next Generation of Leadership

Women in Securities Finance Global Leadership Transition

After eight years of growth, community building and industry impact, Women in Securities Finance is preparing for its next generation of leadership.

Effective January 1, 2027, the founding Global Chairs — Arianne M. Collette (DTCC), Jill Rathgeber (Fidelity), and Elaina Kim Benfield (Vanguard) — will pass the reins of WISF to Harpreet Bains (J.P. Morgan), Ina Budh-Raja (ISLA), and Nancy Allen (Equilend), who will serve as the next Global Chairs of Women in Securities Finance.

This is an exciting next step for WISF and an opportunity to build on the strong foundation established since the group was founded in 2018.

Jill Rathgeber

Celebrating What We’ve Built Together

WISF began with a simple idea: create a community where women across the securities finance industry could connect, share experiences, develop professionally and support one another.

Eight years later, that community has grown into a global network of greater than 3.5K professionals representing more than 100 firms across six chapters globally, including New York, Boston, Toronto, London, APAC and our Virtual Chapter. Along the way, WISF has hosted more than 100 events, bringing together professionals across trading, lending, borrowing, sales, relationship management, legal, technology, product, operations and portfolio management.

The growth of WISF has created opportunities for connection and development that extend well beyond individual events. Through networking programs, leadership and professional development initiatives, panels, fireside chats, mentoring, podcasts and industry discussions, WISF has helped create a community where women can build relationships, exchange ideas, find mentors and sponsors, and support one another throughout their careers.

"When we started WISF, we had a simple belief: that bringing women across our industry together could create something far more powerful than any of us could build alone" shared Arianne M Collette. "What began as an idea and a handful of women willing to believe in it has grown into a truly global community. Watching that evolution—and seeing the relationships, opportunities and sense of belonging it has created—has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career. I’m incredibly proud of what we built together and even more excited to see where the next generation of leaders takes it.

Fidelity & Founding Global Chair

Arianne M. Collette

DTCC & Founding Global Chair

"WISF has shown us the power of community" Jill Rathgeber commented. "In an industry built on relationships, creating a space where women can connect, learn from one another, champion each other and build meaningful relationships has had an impact far beyond what we initially imagined. Those relationships create opportunities to collaborate, build new partnerships and ultimately do more business together. When we bring more people into the conversation and create stronger networks across our industry, we create more opportunities for individuals, firms and the industry as a whole to grow."

Passing the Torch

As founders, we could not be more proud of what WISF has become — and we are equally excited about where it can go next.

Harpreet, Ina and Nancy have each been deeply involved in WISF for many years and have played important roles in building and strengthening the community. Their experience, energy, relationships and commitment to the mission make them exceptionally well positioned to lead WISF into its next phase.

This transition is a natural reflection of what we have always hoped WISF would become: a sustainable, evolving organization powered by the contributions and leadership of its community.

“We’re incredibly excited to take on the role of Global Chairs and grateful for the trust placed in us. So many people across WISF have contributed to building the community we have today and we’re looking forward to working with our chapter leads and members to build on these foundations for future evolution” shared Harpreet Bains, Nancy Allen and Ina Budh-Raja.

"Leadership succession is essential to ensuring that WISF continues to evolve with the industry and the needs of its members" commented Elaina Kim Benfield. "Developing the next generation of leaders is not simply about passing the torch—it is about creating the opportunity for new voices, ideas and perspectives to shape what comes next. We are incredibly proud of what has been built, and even more excited about the continued evolution of WISF and the opportunities it will create for our members and the broader securities finance community."

Elaina Kim Benfield

Vanguard& Founding Global Chair

Looking Ahead

As part of this transition, additional chapter succession planning is already underway. This is an important part of ensuring that WISF continues to develop its leadership bench, create opportunities for new voices and maintain strong local communities as the organization grows. More information on these plans will be shared towards the end of the year.

The founding Global Chairs will remain incredibly supportive of WISF and its mission, and we look forward to continuing to be part of the community in new ways.

We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to WISF over the years — our chapter leaders, members, speakers, sponsors, industry partners, volunteers and supporters. WISF has always been a community effort, and its success is a reflection of the many people who have invested their time, energy and ideas into making it what it is today.

We are proud of what we have built together and energized by what comes next.

Please join us in celebrating the leadership of Arianne, Jill and Elaina and welcoming Harpreet, Ina and Nancy as the next Global Chairs of Women in Securities Finance.